. P4291 
S 

COPY 1 



«\I/* 


THE SHERIFE 

By JAMIES PCRRIGO 















4 











THE SHERIFF 


BY 


JAMES PERRIGO 

a 


A modern Maine story in which pride and politics, 
and rum are curiously intermingled 




PORTLAND, MAINE 
THE FRANKLIN PRINTING COMPANY 
231 FEDERAL STREET 


romance 


COPYRIGHT I9II 
BY JAMES PERRIGO 


*1 



© Cl. A 2 8 3 2 4 7 


INTRODUCTION 


F OR over half a century the State of Maine has 
drawn the attention of the world because of its 
prohibitory law. Both advocates and opponents of 
license, local option, prohibition and every phase of 
the temperance question cease not to write and lec- 
ture about the “situation in Maine.” One would 
suppose from the volume of public address and 
printed page on both sides of the question that has 
appealed to the patient public, that, at least, those 
who are interested, would by this date have under- 
stood the “ prohibition situation in Maine.” Yet, 
how could they, when from one source it is pro- 
claimed that liquor is as easily obtained in Bangor as 
in Boston, from another it is as loudly announced 
that Maine is absolutely dry? 

There is no man better qualified to present the 
real facts than the writer of this volume. In obser- 
vation and experience, in business and politics, in 
consecration to a cause and participation in local and 
State contests, and in personal knowledge of the 
manipulations of wily politicians, he is conceded to 
be, by those who know him, an authority on this 
political prohibition puzzle that has baffled so many. 
He is capable of drawing a true picture of the facts 
and presenting the real political situation. 


6 


INTRODUCTION 


The liquor question in Maine is political and in- 
tensely partisan. It has to deal with governors and 
sheriffs, county attorneys and courts, liquor politi- 
cians and vote-selling citizens, anarchistic brewing 
and distilling corporations and a Bureau of Internal 
Revenue at Washington. I have travelled* not a 
little in Maine, and I know that, for dollar-sake and 
party-sake, nullification has been nurtured till it has 
become a poisonous political dragon that has sapped 
much glory from the fair name of the Pine Tree 
State. 


Hudson, N. Y. 
January 24, 1911. 


W. DEWITT LUKENS. 


THE SHERIFF 

A MODERN MAINE STORY 


CHAPTER I 

N EAR the shore of the bay where the waves broke was 
the sheen of emerald and rainbow tinted mist, broken 
by splashes of silver and shimmer of gold, while in the far 
distance, where it joined the wide ocean, a glowing purple 
completed the radiant color picture. 

The girl stood on a high, flat-topped rock gazing spell- 
bound upon the wide expanse of water, dotted by bits of 
green islands, with white-winged yachts and schooners mov- 
ing swiftly harborward before the stiff breeze. As the wind 
blew stronger and the tide rose higher, the waves broke in 
mighty crashes on the rocks around, the spray tossing far 
above her head and falling in diamond flashes back to its 
home in the sea. Then a wave greater than the others burst 
with a thunderous crash against the great rock on which she 
stood ; a mass of water was hurled into the air as if by some 
mighty inhabitant of the sea and, falling in a great shower, 
drenched her from head to feet, almost sweeping her from 
the rock down into the wild swirling water. 

To a young man sitting on the grassy hillside a few rods 
away, gazing dreamily at the beautiful scene before him, the 
girl in her white dress with only a touch of color here and 
there, added the one touch of human interest needed to 
complete the wondrous picture of sky and water, island and 
shore. 


8 


THE SHERIFF 


A louder crash of a wave against the rock, followed by a 
startled cry from the girl, awoke him from his reverie. 

Unobserved by either, the tide had risen until the rock on 
which the girl stood was entirely surrounded by water. 

That in itself was not a serious matter, reflected the young 
man as he leaped to his feet, for he knew that it was not so 
deep but that he could wade to the rock, but he also knew 
that this entire shore was but a wild jumble of rocks, large 
and small, and so broken and slippery that it required care- 
ful stepping and a clear head to reach the rock, even when 
the tide left the rocks uncovered. 

But while he thought, he was running swiftly down the 
rough, uneven slope to the shore. 

Another wave, but not so high, broke as he stepped into 
the water. His impulse was to rush forward madly to the 
rescue of the girl ; but he knew that to do so would result 
only in the loss of his own life without saving that of the 
girl ; so with cool, steady nerves and using his strength care- 
fully, he stepped into the water, calling to the girl to throw 
herself flat on the rock and grasp any slight projections 
which she could reach. 

The water was only to his knees, but was rushing madly 
back and forth, threatening to sweep him from his slippery 
foothold at any moment. 

Then came the second wave, a great mass of black rolling 
water at the base, green in the curl of it and topped with 
diamond dotted spray. 

The man paused, tense, expectant, bracing his right foot 
backward against a projecting rock and bending his left 
knee downward, stooping in the attitude of a trained athlete 
waiting to receive the onslaught of the enemy. 

The girl, lying sidewise on the rock with her back to the 


THE SHERIFF 


9 


oncoming wave, looked bravely into his face, but did not cry 
out or speak, her fingers clinging closely to crevices in the 
rock. 

Majestically the wave rolled inward and broke with a 
resounding crash against the rock. At the same instant the 
man “ ducked ” low and the flood of water broke over him. 
Then reversing his position, he braced his left foot and threw 
his strength backward against the fierce pull of the receding 
water. When it had past, he opened his eyes and saw to 
his relief that the girl was still clinging to the top of the 
rock. Being so much higher than he, she had received only 
a small part of the force of the wave, but enough to test her 
strength severely. 

It was now a question of seconds, thought the man, to 
reach the girl and get back to lower water before the third 
and higher wave should have broken. 

Firmly and cautiously he worked his way forward and had 
reached the steep inward side of the rock, when he saw that 
it was too late to attempt to return ahead of the wave. 
Grasping the girl’s hands, he cried to her to jump; and, 
drawing her down beside him, their fingers clutching the 
crevices made by the waves, their feet braced in opposite 
directions, they awaited the onslaught. The force of the 
wave in its coming would be broken by the great mass of 
the rock, but it seemed hardly possible that their strength 
would be sufficient to prevent the back flow of the water 
from pulling them away from the rock and throwing them 
into the boiling mass of foam outside it. 

Onward like a great mountain rolled the mass of water, 
its curling, foam-crested top towering above their heads. 
“ Press close to the rock, hold hard and drop your head,” 
the man cried, tightening his grip on her waist. 


10 


THE SHERIFF 


The mountain of water shattered against the rock and 
broke in a swirling mass of foam over and around them. 
Instantly they felt the pull of the receding water, like a thou- 
sand animate beings determined to draw them to death. 
They were thrown from their slippery foothold and swept 
along the side of the rock, clutching desperately at any little 
projections that their hands encountered. When it seemed 
that they must be drawn around its base and out in the 
foaming flood where they must be dashed against the rock 
by the next incoming wave, they were suddenly lifted into 
the air and as suddenly dropped. The man grasped some- 
thing rough and hard with the strength of desperation and 
clung to it until the retreating water lost much of its force. 
They had been lifted over one large rock and dropped be- 
tween it and another. 

The man struggled to his feet, dragging the girl with him. 
He saw that she was unconscious from the shock ; but if he 
could reach the shore, or even reach a spot near it where the 
rocks were higher than elsewhere, before the next wave 
should overtake them, he had no doubt that she could be 
be speedily revived. 

Confused by the sound of the waters, the blood pounding 
from heart to brain, panting for breath, he grasped the girl 
by the arm and, keeping her head above water, started on 
his perilous way to the shore. Twice he slipped and almost 
lost his footing; and, as he steadied himself the second time, 
he saw the wave nearing them so rapidly that there was no 
hope of reaching the shore in advance of it. Bracing him- 
self again and lying almost flat upon the rocks, for the water 
was not so deep here, he waited until the wave rolled over 
them. With his feet firmly against a rock, he was able to 
resist the backward pull of the water and struggled, only half 


THE SHERIFF 


11 


conscious himself, with his unconscious burden to the 
shore. 

Others had gathered and strong hands reached out and 
drew them up on the warm sward out of reach of the hungry 
waters. 

The girl was carried to a house near by; but when the 
rescuers returned for the man he had disappeared. 


CHAPTER II 


FEW days after the foregoing incident Hazel Worth- 



jTm. ington and her dearest chum, Evelyn James, sat on a 
rustic bench overlooking the beautiful bay. 

“ How smooth the water is to-day, it looks more like a 
mill-pond or a great mirror than an arm of the Atlantic,” 
said Evelyn. 

“Yes,” replied Hazel, “but I think I will always think of a 
calm sea as a sleeping giant that may arouse at any moment 
and drag one to death.” 

“ I fear that your nerves are a little unstrung yet because 
of your terrible experience a few days ago.” 

“ Perhaps they are a little. Every night in my sleep I 
seem to hear the thunder of the water in my ears and feel 
the unyielding grip of the waves as they seemed to reach out 
like living arms to clutch me and pull me back.” 

“And yet you seem to avoid speaking of your rescuer. 
Are you entirely in the dark as to the mysterious stranger 
and why he disappeared so suddenly ? ” and Evelyn glanced 
suspiciously at her friend, only to see that her face had 
grown very pale and her lips were trembling, e’er she turned 
her head hastily as if to look at a little boat with idly hang- 
ing sail floating listlessly with the tide at some little distance 
from the shore. As she looked at the figure in the boat a 
sudden wave of color swept over her face, leaving it almost 
instantly white again, and the proud head drooped sidewise 
to the back of the rustic seat. 

“Oh ! you are ill,” cried Evelyn, “ you have not recovered 
from the shock to your nerves, and it is mean of me to ask 


THE SHERIFF 


13 


you questions.” Yet she looked with increasing interest at 
her friend’s averted face and then turned to look at the rrvan 
in the boat. “I do believe it is ‘the mysterious stranger’ 
and that Hazel knows who he is,” she said to herself, “ and 
our proud, sly puss won’t tell. I wonder what the mystery 
can be ? ” But she quickly drew Hazel’s head to her shoulder 
and held her tight until the throbbing heart beat normally 
again. 

From the little boat in the bay, Laurence Freeman had 
seen the tableaux and only then did he realize that the 
almost imperceptible moving tide had floated him near 
enough to the shore to make it possible for one to recognize 
him. 

“What a fool I am,” he mused. “I came here hoping 
that I would but get a glimpse of her ; I, who thought that I 
had let my life work take the place of love ; and it has only 
brought back the old feeling. I wonder if she recognized 
me before losing consciousness in that struggle in the water ? 
But whether she d ; d or not makes no difference. If she did 
know me and I should speak to her now, it would appear 
like presuming on her gratitude, and if she did not — well, I 
cannot speak to her until — ” 

A sudden splash in the water near him interrupted his 
troubled thoughts. He had noticed a short time before a 
row boat approaching him and that the man rowing was 
handling the oars so awkwardly that he had mentally pro- 
nounced him drunk. He turned just in time to see the man 
disappear beneath the water and the boat begin to sink. 

“ He must have been so drunk that, in attempting to move 
to the other end of the boat he toppled over and turned the 
boat over with him,” thought Laurence, as he rowed hastily 
to the spot and waited until the man should come to the 


14 


THE SHERIFF 


surface ; “ no sober man could have brought about such an 
accident in such calm weather.” 

In a moment the man came to the surface and Laurence 
dragged him into his own boat without much difficulty. He 
had sustained nothing worse than a wetting and was soon 
laughing over his mishap. 

“Where do you wish to go ? ” asked Laurence. 

“If you will just land me on the beach in that little cove, 
I’ll be all right,” he replied. “ I was going to meet my 
sister and her friend, Miss James, who are sitting on the 
hillside yonder, when I came that cropper into the water.” 

This w r as just what Laurence did not wish to do, but he 
could not well refuse. So he turned his boat toward the 
cove, thankful that a jutting headland hid him from the girls 
and hoping that he could land his passenger and get away 
unseen. 

The bow of the boat touched the shore very lightly and, 
allowing his passenger barely time to step out, Laurence 
backed away as quickly as possible but not in time to escape 
recognition by the two girls, who now came hurrying down 
the hillside. 

Hazel paused for a moment as if to call to him, but in- 
stead turned to her brother with the exclamation, “ Why, 
how did you meet with such an accident in such calm 
weather ? ” 

“Oh,” replied Randolph, laughingly, “ I slipped as I at- 
tempted to stand on the seat and the dinky little boat tipped 
over with me.” 

The answer seemed to satisfy Evelyn James, but Hazel 
looked disturbed and troubled. 

“This is no thrilling rescue like yours, Sis,” continued 
Randolph; “at worst it is simply a spill and a wetting. 


THE SHERIFF 


15 


Does the fellow who pulled me out look like your mysterious 
rescuer ? ” 

“Yes,” replied Hazel, looking away quickly, “but you 
must go to the house and change your clothing at once.” 

“ Wait here then, and I will be back in a very few 
minutes.” 

If he had been intoxicated, as Laurence suspected, his 
fall into the cold water had sobered him. 

As he passed out of hearing distance, Hazel turned her 
troubled face to Evelyn and said falteringly, “ Evelyn, dear, 
I wish that when Randolph asks you to marry him that — 
that — well, that you would refuse.” 

“ Why ! Why, Hazel, don’t you think I am good enough 
to be your sister ? ” 

“ Certainly, I think you are ; but it would be better for 
you if you should not marry him.” 

“ But what is the reason, Hazel ? ” 

“ Since you insist, I suppose I must tell you, but it is 
hard ; I am so sorry to have to tell you that Randolph 
drinks.” 

“Oh!” laughed Evelyn, “you were so serious that I 
thought it was something awful, like insanity or something 
like that. I know that he drinks a little, but I won’t mind 
that, so long as he doesn’t get drunk and abuse me.” 

“ But, Evelyn, if you do accept him, please make it on 
condition that he stops drinking for at least a year before 
you are married.” 

Evelyn only smiled sweetly in reply ; and just then Ran- 
dolph Worthington, smooth of face, bright of eye and strong 
in his young manhood, joined them. 

Hazel soon excused herself and with a whispered word to 
Evelyn, “ Make him promise, dear,” she left them together. 


16 


THE SHERIFF 


And so, where the waves rolled lazily against the shore 
and the trees cast their shadow over the rustic seat where 
they sat and the summer sunlight flooded all the sea, the 
old, old story was told again with all the earnestness and 
radiant hope of youth. 

Blushingly, Evelyn answered “yes” to Randolph’s pas- 
sionate appeal ; but she did not make the condition that 
Hazel had asked. 

“ I have a good job,” Randolph said when they began to 
speak of practical things ; “ yesterday the foreman in the 
stove foundry where I am employed resigned and I have 
been advanced to the place with a salary of forty dollars a 
week. It is more than enough to live on, and besides, I 
have saved a little nest egg. I know of a nice cottage which 
I can buy on the instalment plan, so why need we wait ? 
Will you not make the happy day soon, dear ? ” 

“We will make it a month from to-day, if you wish,” she 
said. 

And so in another month there was a wedding to which 
all the friends of the young couple were invited — and all 
seemed gay and happy except Hazel. Though greeting all 
in a smiling way, back in the depths of her hazel eyes was a 
look that told those who knew her best of a trouble that 
could not quite be hidden. 

Randolph saw the shadow amidst the gaiety. “ What is 
it, Sis ? ” he asked, as they stood together a moment a little 
apart from the others. 

“ It is the drink, Randolph,” she said. “ You have as- 
sumed a great responsibility to-day ; remember your duty to 
your wife as well as to your employers and the men under 
you ; and promise me that you will not touch another drop 
of liquor.” 


THE SHERIFF 


17 


“ It is foolish to let that trouble you, Sis,” he replied, 
laughingly. “ You look as if you thought I would be a 
common drunk and before the police court in a week or two. 
You know I only take a glass now and then, as most men 
do, and there is no danger of my disgracing myself or you.” 

“ But there is danger that the appetite will grow on you 
and unfit you for the higher duties of life. Please won’t 
you promise to stop now ? ” she asked pleadingly. 

“I couldn’t stop right now, you know,” he answered, still 
in his laughing humor, “ I must help drink that champagne 
that I ordered from Boston for the wedding supper. But I’ll 
tell you what I will promise,” soberly, “ if I find the habit 
growing on me or unfitting me in any way for my work, I 
will stop.” 

Hazel noticed that he did not stint himself but drank 
several glasses of the light champagne at supper ; and she 
was considerably surprised to see that Evelyn sipped a glass 
of it with evident enjoyment. 


CHAPTER III 


T HE sheriff of Landbercum county, Maine, sat in his 
office counting a roll of bills, a satisfied smile on his 
fat face. 

“A round three thousand,” he chuckled, “ kerect with a 
K. In the next three months I can bring the total for my 
two terms up to an even one hundred thousand dollars. 
Not so bad for a man who had only three hundred dollars 
and a lot of debts on coming into office.” 

“This plan of collecting one dollar and fifty cents per 
barrel from the brewers on all beer and ale sold in the 
county is a pretty good one. And I flatter myself that it 
was a pretty neat plan of mine to have the money come by 
express direct from the brewers. Checks can be traced, 
and,” grinning broadly, “some of my good temperance 
friends might think 1 had been bribed if they learned of my 
receiving checks from a brewer. As it is, if I should be 
accused, no rumseller could ‘ peach ’ and say that he had 
bribed me, even though he does pay the brewer the extra 
one-fifty on each barrel he sells. I guess I was witty to 
keep on the safe side on account of those fanatical Prohibi- 
tionists who are continually raving about nullification of the 
prohibitory law, though,” musingly, “ of course ‘ the machine ’ 
would pull me through in any case. I’m too valuable a man 
for the party to lose.” 

“ But hold on ! there is my contribution to the next cam- 
paign to come out of that. I wonder if I reckoned so as to 
get that over and above the hundred thousand ? ” 

Taking a well thumbed note book from his desk he care- 
fully added up a column of figures. 


THE SHERIFF 


19 


“ Yes, it’s all right,” he continued soliloquizing, “campaign 
fund figured out and the one hundred thousand all clear for 
real estate investments.” 

His self-satisfied musings were interrupted by a knock at 
the door. Hastily depositing the bills and note book in his 
desk, he called, “ Come in ! ” 

Entered Hazel Worthington, somewhat pale and timid, 
but with a light of great determination in her eyes as she 
returned his “ good morning.” 

“ What can I do for you ? ” he asked, with what he doubt- 
less intended for a kindly smile, though it resolved itself into 
a sort of sensual twisting of the thick lips and drawing down 
of the eyelids that brought a tinge of color to Hazel’s cheeks 
and a look of disgust into her wonderful hazel eyes. Hazel 
was beautiful, and the sheriff could appreciate the mere 
externals of a well nigh perfect face and form, but not the 
spirit that animated it. 

“ I have come to ask you to close the saloons in the city, 
especially Mike McBlinche’s on Raffle street,” said Hazel 
with a very apparent effort. 

“ My dear young lady,” replied the sheriff, rubbing his fat 
chin and narrowing the slit between his eyelids still more, 
“ my force of deputies are busy all the time hunting down 
rumsellers. Haven’t you noticed in the daily papers the 
reports of the number of raids we are making every day ? ” 

“ Yes, but no one is arrested, and I am told that they 
begin selling again as soon as your deputies are out of sight.” 

“ That may be true in a few instances, but you know that 
we cannot make arrests unless we find someone in charge, 
and if they have a supply of liquor hidden and keep out of 
sight themselves, we can only hope to catch them the next 
time.” 


20 


THE SHERIFF 


Hazel looked at the sheriff sharply, but his face had 
assumed an “ injured honesty ” expression that puzzled her 
a good deal. 

“ But won’t you try at least to close Mike McBlinche’s 
place ? arrest him ! put him in jail ! ” she cried hotly. “ The 
law says that he shall not sell, but he is ruining men and 
their families by the score.” 

“ But why Mike’s Place in particular, young lady ! ” asked 
the sheriff in a soft, unctuous voice. “ Mike declares that 
he is selling nothing but soft drinks which are allowed by 
law to be sold, nothing intoxicating, and he appears to be 
running an orderly place.” 

“ And you believe a rumseller ? ” angrily. 

“ Well, Mike has always appeared to be honest and my 
deputies have never found anything stronger than Uno 
there.” 

“ Sheriff Rumpler,” said Hazel, advancing a step and 
trembling a little in her excitement, “ Mike McBlinche is 
selling whiskey and a great deal of it. My only brother has 
to pass Mike’s Place twice each day in going to and from his 
work. He promised me on his wedding day that if he found 
the appetite growing on him that he would stop drinking. 
He has been married two years and has a little child now, 
but the temptation of the stuff right under his nose over- 
comes him. He is foreman of the Tontine Stove Foundry, 
and if they knew that he drinks they would discharge him. 
But if Mike’s Place, as you call it, were closed I am sure that 
he would stop, for he realizes now it is a habit that is hard 
to break and he would like to get away from it.” 

“ It is too bad that a man cannot control his appetite,” 
said Rumpler, “but as I have said before we have never 
found any whiskey at Mike’s. Do you know of any others 


THE SHERIFF 


21 


besides your brother who have bought whiskey there ? ” 
a cunning twinkle in his eye. 

“Yes, a number of them,” answered Hazel, her timidity 
all gone now. 

The sheriff seemed taken back a little by her prompt 
answer. 

“ Well, swear out a warrant and we will raid Mike’s Place 
at once,” he said. 

“ Swear out a warrant ? ” questioned Hazel blankly, “ why 
I don’t know how, and I supposed that all that was required 
of me was to make a complaint and that the proper officers 
would do the rest.” 

“ You say that you know that Mike is selling whiskey ; I 
don’t; and we always insist that the one who does know 
must swear out the warrant.” 

Perplexed and with a feeling of discouragement and defeat, 
Hazel walked slowly from the sheriff’s office into the main 
corridor of the city building. 

“What shall I do now?” she asked herself. “Surely a 
sheriff who is sworn to enforce the prohibitory law ought not 
expect a girl to swear out warrants. I wonder if it is the law 
that the person who makes the complaint must swear out the 
warrant ? but,” clasping her hands spasmodically, “ I cannot 
let Randolph become a common drunkard ! I will not give 
up ! ” 

A young man who, unobserved, had been watching her 
intently from a little distance down the corridor, now 
approached hastily and extended his hand. “ Good morn- 
ing, Miss Worthington,” he said in a cheerful tone, “ you 
look as if you were worrying about something. Can I be of 
any assistance ? ” 

“Good morning, Mr. Watson,” replied Hazel, her hand 


22 


THE SHERIFF 


meeting his in a somewhat hesitating manner, “I am a little 
worried. I have just been to Sheriff Rumpler and asked 
him to close Mike McBlinche’s rum shop, and he says that I 
must first swear out a warrant — and I do not know how to 
proceed. Do I have to do it in order to have the place 
raided ? Is there no other way ? ” 

Alphonso Watson hesitated for a moment as if debating 
the question in his own mind. 

“Well,” he finally said, “of course the sheriff could take 
out a warrant himself, but I think he usually asks the com- 
plainant to swear to it ; any responsible person can do that.” 

Hazel hesitated for a moment while thinking quickly, “ I 
do not want to ask Alphonso Watson’s assistance or put 
myself under obligation to him in any way, especially since 
he has tried to pay me marked attention. It seems to me 
that he is the kind of a person who would understand it as 
an encouragement of his attentions. But I must save 
Randolph.” 

Aloud she said in a somewhat embarrassed manner, “ You 
were very kind to ask if you could assist me. I will thank 
you very much if you will help me get a warrant for Mike 
McBlinche for selling rum.” 

“ But why should a girl like you bother her head about 
rumselling in general or Mike’s Place in particular? ” 

“Surely you know about — about — Randolph,” with a 
quick intaking of the breath. 

A sudden gleam, both cunning and avaricious, shone for 
an instant in Watson’s eyes. Then he glanced nervously at 
the door of the sheriff’s office and seemed to be considering 
very carefully as he stood with half averted face. Hazel 
thought that he was about to refuse. But the puzzled 
expression quickly left his face and he turned smilingly to 


THE SHERIFF 


23 


his companion, saying in a most cheerful voice, “ Of course 
I will help you. Mike McBlinche must be shown that he 
cannot violate the law in this way, and I would do it for 
your sake even if I had no interest in Randolph, who you 
know is one of my best friends. I will go to the judge’s 
office with you and apply for the warrant.” 

All the while Laurence Freeman had been sitting near the 
doorway of an office opening upon the corridor and had seen 
the meeting without, however, hearing the conversation. 
His gaze followed Hazel wistfully as the two passed down 
the corridor together. “ I wonder if she will be deceived 
into marrying that thing?” he thought, “but it is nothing 
to me, I suppose, only — I’d like to see her happy and I 
know she can never be that with Alphonso Watson.” 

The bell in the sheriff’s office rang sharply. 

Entered a young man typical of the street tough and 
loafer, hands in pocket, cigar in one corner of his mouth and 
his cap sticking on the back of his head. 

“ Were you in your usual place when that girl went out, 
Tim ? ” asked the sheriff. 

“ Sure I was, Boss,” answered Tim. 

“ Where did she go ? ” 

“ Quick as she come out she met that bloke that they call 
A1 Watson. They talked fur a minnit and then steered 
straight fur the jedge’s office.” 

“What?” roared the sheriff, “you don’t mean that A1 
Watson has gone back on us ? ” 

“ I don’t know, Boss,” pulling industriously on his cigar, 
“he said as how Mike ought to be shut up and how he’d 
help her get a warrant ! ” 

“ Great Ceasar’s ghost ! but won’t he put in a bad quarter 
of an hour when I see him ! ” fumed the sheriff. “ But 


24 


THE SHERIFF 


hustle down to Mike’s Place and tell him to get ready for a 
raid, that a warrant has been sworn out and that we will 
have to serve it. A hint is as good as a kick to Mike, but 
he’d better be out of sight himself and leave nothing but 
soft drinks on the bar and shelves.” 

“ Sure ! ” said Tim, giving an extra hard pull at his cigar, 
and departed hastily on his errand. 

Fifteen minutes later Hazel returned and handed the 
sheriff a warrant made out in due form of law. 

The sheriff took it with a smile and handed it to a deputy, 
with a wink and a command to “ serve that warrant ot once.” 

The morning papers contained this paragraph : 

“ Yesterday afternoon Deputies Smith and Jones raided 
the resort known as Mike’s Place at 236 Raffles street. 
Michael was not at home to meet his visitors and the 
deputies found nothing but Uno beer and aerated waters, 
the sale of which is not contrary to the law, and so no 
seizure was made.” 

“Did Mike give you a tip, Tim?” asked the sheriff as 
Tim met him at the door of his office in the evening. 

“ Sure, he guv me a drink and said for me to thank you. 
He’s doin’ a good business to-night, Mike is ; yer see the 
shur’ffs furgut to look under the counter. An’ say, Boss, 
that goil’s brother is down there drinkin’ like a fish.” And 
Tim winked at the sheriff and thanked him as that official 
handed him another cigar. 


CHAPTER IV 


£ £ A COMMITTEE of ladies to see your Honor,” 
announced the clerk in the mayor’s office. 

The mayor of Machigonne, the largest city and shire town 
of Landbercum county, was noted for his genial manner and 
“ approachableness,” and answered at once, “ Show them in.” 

Entered Hazel and two other ladies. 

“ Good morning ! What can I do for you this bright morn- 
ing ? ” said the mayor in his usual friendly manner. 

“ We are a committee representing Gresscon church,” 
replied Hazel, who acted as spokeswoman, “ pursuant to a 
resolution adopted by our church meeting last evening we 
are here to ask you to use your authority to close the saloons 
in this city, which are doing business contrary to the con- 
stitution and laws of the State. We understand that it is 
your sworn duty, equally with the sheriff of the county, to 
use the police force at your command for that purpose.” 
Evidently Hazel had been reading some legal work, else she 
would have used less stilted language. 

“ Yes, yes ! ” smiled the mayor, “ and do you mean to tell 
me that you ladies know of many places in Machigonne 
where liquor is sold ? ” 

“ A large number,” answered one of the ladies. 

“ Well ! well ! that is too bad ! I am a temperance man 
myself and while of course I knew that some liquor was 
being sold, as it always will be, I did not think that there 
were many shops. I assure you that I deplore this condition 
as much as you possibly can and would do anything I could 
to prevent or relieve the misery caused by strong drink. 


26 


THE SHERIFF 


While, as I have said, I did not know that there were very 
many places selling. I have lain awake at night weeping 
because I could not prevent the misery caused by those 
few ; but if, as you say, there are many, it is still greater 
cause for sorrow,” and the mayor applied his handkerchief 
to his eyes. 

A pleased smile rippled over Hazel’s red lips and a new 
light sprang into her hazel eyes. “ Then you will surely 
exercise your authority as mayor ! ” she said. 

“ I would be very glad to, my dear young lady ; but it is 
an unwritten law that the sheriff’s department should attend 
to all violations of the prohibitory law ; and of course I do 
not feel that I can interfere, but let me assure you again 
that you have my sympathy,” said his Honor, rising as if to 
terminate the interview. 

“But the written law says that the mayor, city marshal 
and other city officers shall enforce the law ; and it would 
seem to me that it would be better for you to use your 
authority to enforce the law during the day than to lie awake 
at night weeping over the misery caused by the drink 
traffic!” cried Hazel, the light in her eyes changing to 
lambent fire. 

“ A committee of hotel keepers to see your Honor ! ” 
announced the clerk. 

As Hazel and her companions passed into the corridor 
they were met by Sheriff Rumpler on his way to his office 
in another part of the building. 

“ Good morning, Miss Worthington,” he said with his 
oily smile, “ I suppose you saw by the papers that we raided 
Mike McBlinche’s place immediately after you made com- 
plaint ? ” 

“ But did not seize his liquor or arrest him,” retorted 
Hazel angrily. 


THE SHERIFF 


27 


“ But, my dear young lady, my officers could not find any- 
thing that was being sold in violation of the prohibitory law. 
So you see that you must have been mistaken in supposing 
that he was selling intoxicating liquors.” 

Before Hazel had an opportunity to reply, Alphonso 
Watson came rapidly along the corridor. He appeared 
somewhat embarrassed on seeing Hazel and the sheriff 
together and it appeared would have passed by pretending 
to be so engrossed in thought that he did not see them. 
But the sheriff halted him with a gruff “Good morning, 
Watson, I want to see you in my office.” 

“ I will be there in a moment,” replied Watson, as the 
sheriff turned away. Then hastily remarking to Hazel, “ I 
am sorry that the raid on Mike McBlinche did not result in 
closing his place, I did the best that I could for you,” he 
followed the sheriff into his office. 

“Look here, Watson,” growled the sheriff, “I’d like to 
know what you meant by helping that Worthington girl get 
out a warrant for Mike’s Place ? You’ve always pretended 
to be one of us and have had good pay for your work. That 
little job of buying votes in Ward Three was better than a 
month’s salary, let alone the other little jobs. What d’ye 
mean, I say ? ” 

“ O, that’s all right, Sheriff,” replied Watson trying hard, 
but unsuccessfully, to appear at his ease, “and you’ll see it 
in a minute. There is a whole lot of trouble brewing if you 
only knew it. That cranky Laurence Freeman has been 
exposing the political methods of the Republican party and, 
while the papers have refused to report his speeches, he has 
raised all kinds of rows in the W. C. T. Unions, the Good 
Templar lodges and to some extent in the churches. About 
two-thirds of them are down on him for a irreconcilable 


28 


THE SHERIFF 


crank, but there are enough voters among the other third to 
turn the election to a Democrat, if he can get them to vote 
the Prohibition ticket ; and if something isn’t done to make 
them think that you are enforcing the law, he’ll sure get 
them to do it.” 

“ Is that so ? ” asked the sheriff, somewhat mollified, “ I 
thought we had the situation cinched, I didn’t realize that 
that fellow Freeman had any influence. Do you mean to 
say that he has tumbled to the game ? ” 

“ He sure has, and he was looking on while Hazel and I 
were talking about the warrant business. I thought that if 
I didn’t pretend to help and you didn’t pretend to make a 
seizure, he’d get on to it and give the whole thing away. 
Hazel didn’t know he was anywhere near, but I saw him out 
of the corner of my eye. I knew she’d never give up until 
she got a warrant and I’d a good deal rather help her than 
to have that crank do it.” 

“ O, in love with the girl and jealous of Freeman, hey ? ” 

“ Well, you may put it that way if you like. But I didn’t 
put up any trick on you. As soon as I could leave her I 
sent a message to Mike, but it seems that Tim got there 
first and Mike had got out when my man got there.” 

“That’s rather playing it on the girl, isn’t it? ” 

“ Everything is fair in love, you know ; and, besides, it 
would be a bad job for me if Mike’s Place were to be shut up.” 

“How’s that?” 

“ Randolph Worthington has to pass Mike’s Place every 
morning, noon and night, and it is a pretty sure thing that 
he would stop drinking if it was shut up tight. His firm 
have tumbled to his drinking habits and have threatened to 
discharge him if ever he appears at the works under the 
influence of liquor ; and if he goes I get his job, see ? ” 


THE SHERIFF 


29 


“ That’s killing two birds with one stone with a vengence. 
I guess you are a politician all right, Watson, and we will 
have some work for you during the next campaign.” 

Harmony having thus been entirely restored, Watson went 
his way appearing quite elated, while the sheriff began look- 
ing over his morning mail with a complacent smile. 

Meantime an interesting conversation was going on between 
the mayor and the committee of hotel men. 

The spokesman had stated his business at once. 

“ I understand that some of the churches passed resolu- 
tions last evening demanding that you use the police force 
to enforce the prohibitory law. Now we are doing a respect- 
able business, supplying liquors to our guests, and we want 
to know if we are to be interfered with.” 

“ Well, of course you know, gentlemen,” smiled the major, 
“ that I am opposed to the sale of liquor, especially in low 
dives ; and of course if much liquor is sold while I am 
mayor it will injure me in my church relations and hurt my 
chances for re-election among the radical temperance people ; 
but I have just told a committee from one of the churches 
that this matter belongs to the sheriff’s department and that 
I could not interfere.” 

“ Right you are 1 ” replied the hotel keeper, “ we made 
you politically and we can unmake you mighty quick; and 
it won’t do for you to interfere. We were afraid that you 
would lose your backbone and thought we would come in 
and see that you were doing the straight thing.” 

“ But,” said the mayor, shaking a little as he stood facing 
the committee, “ I have told you that I am not going to 
interfere, then why such strong language ? ” 

“ O, that’s all right ! ” said the spokesman as he passed 
out, “ we simply wanted you to understand that we don’t 
intend to stand for any wiggling in this case.” 


30 


THE SHERIFF 


While this interesting interview was taking place, Hazel 
was walking hastily toward home, the angry tears in her eyes 
because of her utter failure to accomplish anything in the 
way of closing the rum shops. 

Suddenly she came face to face with a very familiar 
figure, the second deputy marshal of Machigonne, familiarly 
known as “Jim Starling.” He had been a friend of her 
father’s and would, she felt sure, do anything that he could 
for her; moreover he was known as an honest official who 
tried faithfully to do his duty as laid down in the statutes. 

“ Yes,” he replied in answer to her question, “ I have a 
right to swear out a warrant against a rumseller and place it 
in the hands of a police officer to serve ; but I am supposed 
to act by the orders of my superiors, the mayor, marshal and 
first deputy.” 

“ I want a warrant against Mike McBlinche for selling 
rum to Randolph, but I have already been to — ” 

“Don’t tell me that — I don’t want to know whom you 
have been to. All I wish to know is that you have entered 
a complaint to me. If I had advance knowledge that you 
had entered a complaint higher up, it might get me into 
trouble for acting contrary to the wishes of my superiors. 
I must hurry as it is,” and Starling started quickly in the 
direction of the judge’s office. 

Hazel awaited anxiously the result of Starling’s effort in 
her behalf. 

Much sooner than she expected, Patrolman Hermon, also 
an old acquaintance, put in an appearance. 

“Good morning, Miss Hazel,” he said, “ it’s glad I am of 
the chance to serve a warrant on that old sinner, Mike 
McBlinche.” 

“ I thought such things were a part of your daily duties 


THE SHERIFF 


31 


and I have wondered more than once why you and Mr. 
Starling, whom I know to be thoroughly honest, have not 
served warrants on him long ago.” 

“ But you see we can’t do just as we like, we must act 
under orders — and we don’t get the orders.” 

“ But Mr. Starling said that he has the legal right to do 
this and, I understood, without waiting for orders.” 

“ Sure he has, but when the boss finds out that we have 
done it without his orders it’s ten to one that we both lose 
our jobs ; but I mustn’t talk. If we should be overheard it 
would mean trouble sure.” 

As the policeman’s errand led him in the same direction 
as the street corner where Hazel intended to board a car for 
her home, she walked with him. 

They had proceeded but a few blocks when they were 
met by the first deputy marshal. 

“Where are you going?” he asked the policeman gruffly. 

“ To serve a warrant on Mike McBlinche.” 

“ What for ? ” 

“ For selling rum.” 

“ Who gave you an order to do that? ” 

“Deputy Starling.” 

“ Give me that warrant and return to your duty at the 
station, and don’t serve any more warrants of this kind with- 
out referring them to me. Jim Starling is getting altogether 
too fresh. He has been told several times to go slow, and 
it is mighty few more warrants he will get out for anyone.” 
And taking the paper from the policeman he thrust it into 
his pocket and walked angrily away. 

Hazel stood dumbfounded at this exhibition of contempt 
for the law. 

“ That likely means that both Starling and I have lost our 


32 


THE SHERIFF 


jobs,” said Hermon, “ but we have both been getting sick 
of this thing for a good while and I guess we’ll feel better in 
private positions where we can be honest.” 

“ But what does it all mean ? ” asked Hazel. 

“It is said that the first deputy gets a rake-off on Mike’s 
profits, and Mike stands in with the politicians. 

“ Then what is the good of the law if politicians can use 
it for their own selfish ends ? ” 

“ It is the best law ever made against liquor selling, Miss 
Hazel. The only trouble is that the politicians use it for 
their own ends, as you say, the same as the same politicians 
would use a license law. The fault is not with the law, but 
with the men who will not allow us to enforce it. And even 
at that, it is much better than any license law. Though we 
all know that Mike McBlinche and others in the city are 
selling rum, yet even Mike’s Place has no display of liquors 
as in license cities and a stranger would hardly know it for 
a rum shop. My experience as a police officer has proven 
to me that, even under these disgraceful conditions, there 
is much less drunkenness and evil effects from the liquor 
traffic under prohibition in Maine than under license in 
other states and cities that I have visited from time to time.” 

“ O, what can I do to save Randolph and other victims of 
this awful traffic,” mused Hazel as she rode homeward, 
“ and how can the officers of the law be forced to do their 
sworn duty ? ” 


CHAPTER V 



CROSS the harbor from Machigonne rises a great hill 


ii several miles in length, its central ridge rising almost 
to the height of a mountain. 

Laurence Freeman, weary with the fight against the illegal 
drink traffic and feeling the need of mental rest, had wan- 
dered one afternoon to the highest point of the hill to gaze 
upon the beauties of nature spread with such lavish hand 
around him. 

Almost at his feet, it seemed, lay the beautiful city of 
Machigonne, washed on three sides by the waters of the bay. 
Near the eastern end of the city the buildings and streets 
were clearly defined, while toward the west it had more the 
appearance of a forest than a city, the trees on either side of 
the streets growing so thickly and so large that only the 
church spires and a few of the roofs of the higher buildings 
appeared above the mass of foliage. Nearer still lay the 
harbor with the great ocean-going steamers lying at their 
wharves, the tugs hurrying here and there, the unwieldy coal 
barges swinging sluggishly on their anchor chains, the white 
winged yachts dipping gracefully to the slight swell, and the 
island steamers passing in graceful movements through the 
water lane. In the distance lay the islands — islands as far 
as the eye could reach, crowned with verdure and separated 
by waving strips of silver threaded with lines of purple and 
blue. And over all just the faintest mist- from the light 
summer shower that had passed a short half hour before, 
shot here and there by shimmering rainbow tints. 

A road winds around the base of the hill, passing through 
a little village, along the high, shelving bank of the harbor, 


34 


THE SHERIFF 


through green meadows, then through another low lying 
village and out again on the farther shore where seamed and 
broken cliffs have for ages met the mighty onrush of the sea 
and giant boulders seem ready to fall from their dizzy 
heights. Again it dips into a beautiful tree shaded depres- 
sion where the ground is soft and springy under foot, the 
forbidding cliffs are hidden by the trees and only glimpses 
of the blue sea can be caught through the foliage. 

Slowly Laurence descended the mountain toward the 
rocky shore. A walk of a half hour or more brought him 
nearly to the foot of the hill, his way lying through a thick 
wood. 

Absorbed in thought he had not noticed how nearly he 
had approached the carriage road until a slight sound caused 
him to raise his head. As his gaze took in a group of 
summer cottages, he was suddenly reminded that the Worth- 
ington’s summer home was somewhere near. And yet he 
was somewhat startled to see Hazel coming toward him 
along the road and only a few feet distant. Turning from 
waving a farewell to a friend at the door of a cottage which 
she had evidently just left her eyes met his fully. 

“ Hazel — Miss Worthington,” he cried involuntarily. 

Her face had grown very pale and then flushed painfully. 
But by a very apparent effort she recovered herself and 
extended her hand, though in a somewhat hesitant way. 

“ You are not very sociable,” she said. “ It is a long time 
since you saved my life not far from this spot, but I have 
never had the opportunity of speaking to you. I know that 
you live in the city and it must be that you have purposely 
avoided me. Cannot you find it in your heart to forgive me ? ” 

Laurence’s eyes lighted as he listened to the eagerly 
spoken words and noted the embarrassment in her charming, 


THE SHERIFF 


35 


radiant face — and a smile curved his clean cut, sensitive 
lips. “ I did not know that you felt that way about it,” he 
said. “ You remember that it was you who refused to speak 
a few years ago ? ” 

“Yes; and I was very unkind and foolish. I realize it 
now. But it did seem hard that when Uncle George seemed 
so sure of election as State senator, you should organize the 
Prohibition- party and get just about enough votes for your 
candidate to bring about the election of the Democratic 
candidate. Uncle was such a good man and it did seem 
that you were fanatical and unreasonable. It appears very 
foolish now, but I thought then that I must show my resent- 
ment by not speaking to you, as some of your other former 
friends did. Can you forgive me ? ” 

“ O, yes ! fully and freely if you think there is anything to for- 
give. You were only a girl and I can readily understand how 
you felt about it when so many people much better versed in 
politics than a girl is supposed to be, condemned me. Your 
uncle was a good man and, so far as he was personally con- 
cerned, I would have been glad to have seen him elected, 
but he was the candidate of a political machine that had 
caused the most disgraceful violation of the prohibitory law 
and he was nominated simply to lend respectability to the 
ticket. Such men are used for the purpose of keeping a bad 
party alive. If they nominated all bad men the party would 
be defeated very quickly. And they know that when a good 
man is elected they can easily nullify any good that he may 
try to do. The election of a Democrat was the fortune of 
war — we tried to elect a Prohibition candidate regardless 
of either of the others. 

“I do not understand politics, *but I do want to be 
friends.” 


36 


THE SHERIFF 


“ But does this mean anything more, Hazel ? You 
remember that though we were both so young, we had 
tacitly pledged ourselves to each other ? Are you willing to 
renew that pledge ? ” he continued hurriedly as if fearful that 
he would lose courage to speak. “ I have loved and longed 
for you all these months and years. Can I hope that you 
have cared a little for me, as your words to-day seem to 
imply ? ” 

“Yes,” softly, “I have cared — I have loved you all the 
while. If — if you really want me to, I will renew the 
understood promise, but,” as if suddenly remembering some- 
thing of the utmost importance forgotten, before in the sweet 
excitement of the moment, “ there is a condition.” 

“ I feel that I can meet almost any condition that you 
would require, now.” 

“ And you will do me one little favor before I promise 
anything ” 

“ Surely, I would do you a great many favors, big as well 
as little, even if you had not confessed that you love me — 
and much more so now.” 

“And you would give up some of your prejudices for me? ” 

A faint shadow crept into Laurence’s fine eyes. 

“Yes, if it did not involve a principle of right or wrong.” 

“ You know how much I want the rum shops closed and 
Randolph saved from the habit of drinking? ” 

“ Yes, and if the little favor is along those lines, you may 
be assured that I will grant it if possible.” 

“ I read in the daily papers a while ago that there were 
about a thousand men in this county who voted the Prohibi- 
tion party ticket at the last election.” 

“ Yes.” 

# 

“ And you are chairman of the county committee ? ” 

“ Yes.” 


THE SHERIFF 


37 


“ And these men have a great deal of confidence in you 
and wouldsact on your advice in political matters ? ” 

“ They have a great deal of confidence in me, but would 
follow my advice only so far as they would think it right.” 

“ But if you should follow a certain course of action, many 
of them would think it right, especially if it really were right, 
and you would in that way have a great deal of influence 
with them ? ” * 

“ Yes, if it really were right, doubtless the greater number 
of the party would follow me ; but your question implies 
that there might be a difference of opinion ; and what has 
all this to do with the little favor you wished to ask of me ? ” 
“ I want you to help me close Mike’s Place.” 

“ Surely you cannot feel the need of asking me to do that 
as a favor ? ” 

“ I know that you are devoting your life to the temperance 
cause and want the rumshops closed fully as much as I do ; 
but I thought you might not be willing to do it in my way, 
for I am sure that would close them up very quickly.” 

“ If you have an effectual plan, you may count on all the 
Prohibitionists helping you, but I warn you that their judg- 
ment may differ from yours as to it being the right way.” 

“Well, perhaps what I have to say will not be news to 
you, but I will tell you so that you can see what a good plan 
it is. In the first place, the temperance Republicans are 
disgusted with the way in which Sheriff Rumpler has allowed 
the rumshops to do business and have determined to elect a 
man who will close them. Mr. Wrestler has promised that 
he will enforce the prohibitory law faithfully and impartially. 
As you know, the Republican county convention has nomi- . 
nated him for sheriff ; and the plan is to get all of the Pro- 
hibitionists and temperance Democrats to vote for him.” 


38 


THE SHERIFF 


“And how did you become interested in this plan ? You 
have just said that you do not understand politics.” 

“ You know Mrs. Venters, the president of our W. C. T. 

U. ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Well, it is her plan and largely through her influence 
that he was nominated. She explained it fully at our last 
meeting and asked each member to pledge herself to do 
everything possible to bring about the election of Mr. 
Wrestler, urging us especially to induce our gentlemen 
friends to vote for him.” 

“ I think you are entirely mistaken as to the plan having 
originated with Mrs. Venters. It originated, doubtless, with 
some wily politician, who adroitly suggested it to her in such 
a way that even she may think it originated in her own mind. 
But you have not told me what the little favor is that you 
wish me to do you ? ” 

“ It is only that you give up your third party for this elec- 
tion at least, and vote for Mr. Wrestler yourself and induce 
your party associates to do the same. He will close the rum- 
shops — I know he will ; and then Randolph will be safe ! ” 

Laurence’s firm lips drooped for a moment and the light 
darkened in his eyes, but these were only signs of the 
momentary struggle taking place in his mind. 

For an appreciable time he gazed fully into the beautiful 
face before him, taking in all its perfection of curve and line, 
the faint tinge of color, the light far back in the hazel eyes 
and even the crowning glory of her hair, as a shaft of sun- 
shine threw its golden darts among its wavy tresses. 

Then the firm lips hardened again, the eyes took on the 
defiant light that some of his political opponents had learned 
to dread when they had tried to turn him from his purpose. 


THE SHERIFF 


39 


But he answered very quietly and kindly, yet with a note of 
sadness that even his strong will could not entirely control. 

“ I cannot grant your little favor, Hazel/’ he said. “ Ask 
me for any personal sacrifice that you will, but do not ask me 
to do a wrong and dishonorable thing, to play the traitor to 
my conscience, my party associates and, for that matter, to 
you ; for I am quite sure that you do not realize fully what you 
are asking me to do.” 

“ I understand that there is now an opportunity to close 
the saloons of Machigonne and save my brother and others 
like him ; and for the lack of the votes of such men as you a 
good man may be defeated, his Democratic opponent be 
elected and the rumshops be allowed to run wide open. You 
know that your party cannot elect a sheriff, yet you will not 
try to elect a good man in another party. Don’t you think 
that Mr. Wrestler will enforce the law? or do you think that 
all men but Prohibitionists are dishonest and liars?” 

“To answer your last question first, I do not think that 
Mr. Wrestler is either dishonest or a liar ; more than that, I 
think he will try to enforce the prohibitory law and that he 
cannot be bought with money. But the managers of his 
party do not want the law enforced. The rumsellers have 
money and votes and political influence and if they are not 
satisfied they will leave the party, thus depriving it of a large 
part of its campaign fund as well as of their votes and 
influence. The temperance people can be more easily de- 
ceived. So, no matter how honest Mr. Wrestler may be or 
how good his intentions, the machine will manage to prevent 
him from doing his full duty.” 

“ How do you know all this ? I don’t see how any one or 
any number of men could prevent an honest man doing his 
duty ; and if they did he would expose their dishonesty to 


40 


THE SHERIFF 


the people and bring about the election of honest men to fill 
their positions.” 

Laurence smiled in spite of the disappointment which he 
found it hard to conceal. “ I see that you do not under- 
stand the intricacies of the political machine. When bribery 
fails there is the demand of loyalty to the party and the cry 
that enforcement will kill it — the very party to which the 
honest man owes his election. Then the lowest forms of 
trickery are used ; and the man who is honestly trying to do 
his duty wonders why all his plans become known to the 
rumsellers and meet with complete failure. But even if the 
impossible should happen and your honest man be allowed 
to enforce the law 7 , it would be only temporary; and the 
rumsellers and their friends would see to it that the next 
sheriff would be one to suit them.” 

“ I cannot argue with you. You men say that women 
cannot see the logic of such things ; but you have convinced 
me that you think that no one can be right but yourself ; 
and that you do not love me so much as you do your politi- 
cal party. So, as you have refused to do just the one little 
thing that I most want you to do, I refuse to renew the old 
promise.” 

Laurence had but time to note the flush of anger on her 
face before she turned and left him. 

Involuntarily he stretched out his hand as if to detain her, 
then let it drop to his side. “ It is hard,” he said under his 
breath, “ to lose the girl I have always loved just when it 
seemed that she had gotten over her foolish, girlish pride 
and was sorry for the past; and even admitted that she had 
loved me all along. She does not understand what she 
asks ; and there is some excuse for her because of her love 
for her brother. It is hard ; but I could not be happy even 


THE SHERIFF 


41 


with her, knowing that I had been a traitor to my conscience, 
my friends and my God.” 

But as he watched her lithe form passing away between 
the long, straight lines of trees, her dress showing white 
against the deep shadows and golden bright where the sun- 
light touched it, there came to him a sadness and a sense of 
loss that he had never known before. 

Restlessly he walked along the shore during the long 
hours of the afternoon until the dusk began to gather and 
the moon rose over the placid waters of the bay. The sight 
reminded him of Jean Ingelow’s “Divided.” 

“ I know now what it means,” he said. 

“We two walk on in our grassy places 
On either marge of the moonlight flood, 

With the moon’s own sadness in our faces, 

Where joy is withered, blossom and bud.” 


CHAPTER VI 


HE county committee of the dominant party in Land- 



A bercum county were in executive session, planning the 
campaign for the party nominee for sheriff. 

“ Yes,” said the chairman in answer to a question,” we 
simply had to nominate Wrestler.” 

“ But he really intends to enforce the liquor law,” con- 
tinued his questioner, “and how will we fix that with the 
boys ? It seems to me that we are in for trouble. We can’t 
afford to lose our campaign funds.” 

But he was interrupted by the sudden and forcible entrance 
of Mike McBlinche, a typical Maine rumseller, low of brow, 
vicious of countenance, with a look of bravado tempered by 
low cunning. 

“ See here ! ” he cried, “ what do you mean by nominating 
Wrestler for sheriff? I’m here right now to tell you that I 
won’t have it ! I haven’t paid you for protection for the past 
ten years like a little man to have you t’row me down now. 
You’ve got to tell him to decline that nomination, see ! ” 

“ Well, you have been protected, haven’t you ? ” asked the 
chairman, blandly. 

“ Yes, I’ve been protected all right, but this Wrestler 
swears he’ll put us all out of business ; and I’d like to know' 
what you mean by it ? Besides, they say that you’ve got all 
them women fanatics working for him. As long as they 
kept to the weepin’ act we could stand ’em pretty well, but 
they’re in the vote makin’ business now. And I tell you if 
you don’t call him off I'll defeat the whole crowd of you 
when it comes to election day.” 


THE SHERIFF 


43 


“Now, now, Mike,” smiled the chairman, “don’t get ex- 
cited. It is all right. We’ve got to bluff the temperance 
people in this campaign, or there’ll be trouble all around. 
They are so mad at Rumpler that they will all vote for the 
Prohibition candidate if we don’t make all kinds of good 
promises, and if they should elect a Prohibitionist you would 
be out for sure.” 

“Sure I would,” muttered Mike, “thim divils of Prohibi- 
tionists wouldn’t stop at anything — and of course I’d have 
to go. But I didn’t know it was as bad as that.” 

“ It certainly is, Mike,” continued the chairman, still 
smiling, “ it is either Wrestler or a Prohibitionist, the way 
the people are feeling now.” 

“ But he says he’ll enforce the law — and he means it,” 
growled Mike. 

“Of course,” said the chairman, with a chuckle, “ we had 
to nominate a man who means it, because we couldn’t get 
them to support one whom they might think was bluffing ; 
Wrestler is popular with the women fanatics, as you call 
them, too ; and we’ve got them all fixed to work for him 
tooth and nail.” 

“But how is all that going to help me out?” grumbled 
Mike, still unsatisfied. 

“O, we’ll fix him all right after he is elected,” replied the 
chairman, airily, “ though of course we’ve got to let him 
think now that we’ll let him do as he likes. Besides we’ve 
got the county attorney and the courts, if worse comes to 
worse and he gets cranky and obstinate.” 

“And you’ll give me your word of honor that I can keep 
right on with my business ? ” 

“ Sure you can. You may have to pay a fine of a hundred 
dollars, but that won’t fease you.” 


44 


THE SHERIFF 


“All right, then, I’ll let her go through,” and Mike turned 
toward the door. 

“ But say, Mike ! ” called the chairman ; “ this is going to 
be a hard campaign and we’ll need a lot of money. Better 
give us an extra hundred this year ; that will make four 
hundred instead of three, as you have been paying; and if 
you do have to pay one fine of another hundred it will only 
make the total five hundred, and that is a pretty low license, 
eh?” 

“ Is all this true that you’ve been givin’ me? An’ would 
sinsible Republicans vote fur a cranky Prohibitionist ? ” 

“ It’s all true and they surely would, Mike. Our jelly-fish 
friends, commonly known as the better element of the 
Republican party, held a meeting all by themselves and 
decided that, if we refused to nominate Wrestler at our 
county convention, they would go in for all they are worth to 
elect the Prohibition candidate, and ‘teach us a lesson,’ as 
they said. An extra hundred will be a mighty good invest- 
ment for you this year.” 

“ I guess it’s right y’ are,” and, shoving his hand into his 
pocket, Mike pulled out a great roll of bills. Counting out 
four hundred dollars and saying, “ I’ll fix it with the boys so 
they’ll all vote for Wrestler,” he passed out. 

“ You’re a good one,” laughed one of the committeemen. 
“ Now, if you can get an equal amount from some good 
temperance man, the two contributions will make quite a 
good starter for a county campaign fund.” 

“O, I’ve done that already,” answered the chairman, 
exhibiting another roll of bills. 

“That’s great,” said Alphonso Watson, evidently a newly 
elected member of the committee, “ how did you manage 
that?” 


THE SHERIFF 


45 


“O, it wasn’t so hard a stunt! I went to several of the 
leaders of the movement in a very penitent frame of mind and 
admitted frankly that we had been bad in the past but now 
realized our political wrong-doing and were determined to do 
the right thing in the future, as we had proved by nominating 
Wrestler. I told them that the rumsellers are all going to 
vote for the Democratic candidate and that will defeat 
Wrestler and bring in a reign of free rum ; and to prevent 
this and help us in our determination to be good, they must 
put their hands in their pockets and help us. That line of 
talk brought them around very quickly. There’s a thousand 
dollars in that roll and more coming.” 

“But how about the other rumsellers?” continued 
Watson. 

“All fixed ! Mike has been away for a couple of weeks 
and has just returned, which explains why he w T asn’t fixed 
before.” 

“And how did you fix the W. C. T. U. so quickly? ” asked 
the secretary. 

Chairman Foster removed his cigar from his mouth for a 
moment and smiled indulgently. 

“ That was the easiest job of all,” he said. “ I had a long 
talk with Mrs. Venters, the president, in which I called her 
attention to Wrestler’s strong letter and told her that we 
mean business this time and will surely enforce the prohib- 
itory law to her satisfaction. I gave her a big line of talk 
on the Democratic resubmission and license program ; and, 
as an extra embellishment, told her that houses of prosti- 
tution would be opened in Machigonne if the Democrats 
should elect their candidate for sheriff, as they were likely 
to do because of the rum vote, which would surely go to 
them. That fetched her and she at once prepared a circular 


46 


THE SHERIFF 


letter, urging all the members of the Unions to work from 
now to election for Wrestler.” 

“ Well, we need easy marks this year,” commented the 
secretary, “ but the Prohibitionists don’t come under that 
head, and we need their votes, too. You haven’t got them 
dead to rights, have you ? ” 

“No, I haven’t — and that’s where the rub comes. That 
crank, Freeman, is at the head of their committee and I was 
afraid to try the penitent job on him, he’s too blamed sharp.” 

“ I think I have a plan,” said Watson, “ that can be made 
to work.” 

“ That’s what we need,” replied Chairman Foster, “ let’s 
hear it right now.” 

“ I guess I’d better tell it to you privately, and then if you 
think it best we can put it into operation at once.’’ 

The chairman and Watson retired to a corner near the 
door for a few moments, after which Watson went out 
hurriedly. 

“You fellows take your cue from me,” said the chairman, 
as he resumed his seat, “there’ll be something doing soon.” 

Only a few minutes had been spent in a general discussion 
of how to get the Prohibition party vote for Mr. Wrestler, 
when the door opened, admitting Alphonso Watson, accom- 
panied by Laurence Freeman. 

Chairman Foster advanced to meet Freeman, his face 
wreathed in smiles. “ I am glad to see you, Mr. Freeman,” 
he cried, “ very glad to see you, indeed ! Things are coming 
our way.” 

“ I do not quite understand you,” replied Laurence coolly, 
“ nor why you sent for me. Our political opinions and 
methods differ so radically that I am surprised to hear that 
you are glad to see me, and it is quite impossible that things 


THE SHERIFF 


47 


should be coming your way and my way at the same time, 
if by things you refer to matters political.” 

“ That is just where you are mistaken, my dear fellow,” 
continued Foster ; “ we are just getting where we can prop- 
erly enforce the prohibitory law, and that is just what you 
have been fighting for, as well as what I have desired for a 
long time, so it is entirely proper to say things are coming 
our way because we are at’last going to get what we both 
want.” 

“So, you have decided to come into the Prohibition par- 
ty,” said Freeman with a smile. 

“ Well, not exactly ; but we have a plan whereby we can 
combine our forces and bring about the same result. Of 
course, you have no chance to elect your man, but with your 
help we can easily elect ours.” 

“ True ; but your shrievalty candidates, including the 
present incumbent of the office, have been elected -for many 
years by the aid of the temperance vote.” 

“ Well, the fact is, Freeman, we’ve been betrayed. We 
haven’t looked up our candidates as closely as we ought; 
have been careless, in fact, and haven’t seen the importance 
of this question quite as fully as you Prohibitionists have ; 
but, I repeat, we’ve been betrayed. Some of the officials 
whom we thought were all right turned out to be under 
obligations to the rumsellers for votes or financial assistance 
and haven’t done their duty in enforcing this law. You 
refer to Rumpler. You are no more disappointed in him 
than we are. He promised that he would enforce the law 
and we felt sure that he would keep his promise, but he 
betrayed us. Frankly, Freeman, while I can’t prove it and 
the less said about it the better, I think that Rumpler has 
lined his pockets well during his two terms as sheriff.” 


48 


THE SHERIFF 


“ You are doubtless in a position to know and I don’t 
think that anyone will dispute you as regards Rumpler.” 

“ He certainly has gone back on us,” chimed in the secre- 
tary, interpreting a look from Foster. 

“ Right you are,” added Watson, “ I had to swear out a 
warrant against Mike McBlinche myself, and I believe Rum- 
pler sent word in advance that the officers were coming so 
they wouldn’t find anything.” 

“ But all this is going to be changed,” resumed Foster ; 
“ we have nominated a man this time whom we all know as 
an honorable business man, and everyone who knows him is 
sure that when Wrestler says a thing he means it.” 

“That’s right ! ” came as one voice from the committee. 

“ How about your candidat or county attorney and the 
court ? ” queried Freeman. 

“ While our candidate for county attorney has not come 
out in a public statement, he has assured me that he will 
vigorously prosecute any and all cases that the sheriff brings 
to his attention. Of course we cannot control the judge, as 
he is appointed by the governor, but I assure you he will do 
his duty. After all, it depends almost entirely on the sheriff 
and it is Rumpler’s fault that the judge hasn’t done better 
in the past.” 

“And what do you wish of me ? ” 

“ Simply to explain the matter to your people ; show them 
that, while there is no possible chance for them to elect their 
candidate, there is a splendid opportunity to secure just 
what they want, the real thing in enforcement, by voting for 
our man. The rumsellers are against him to a man, and if 
we don’t get your votes the Democratic candidate will be 
elected ; and you know what that will mean — free rum ! ” 

“A burned child dreads the fire. I will advise my friends, 


THE SHERIFF 


49 


but will advise them to vote for their own candidate instead 
of having him withdraw in favor of yours, as of course that 
is a part of your plan.” 

“Of course that would be necessary ; but you appear as if 
you thought we were not honest in this matter.” 

“ Frankly, I do not think you are.” 

“It pains me to think that you should feel so, Freeman, 
and I suppose that you have had some reason for thinking 
so in the past ; but I am going to show you right now that 
we mean what we say. If you will get your man to with- 
draw and will have your committee fill the vacancy by nom- 
inating Wrestler in his place, we will see that Wrestler 
appoints you as one of his liquor deputies. This isn’t an 
attempt to buy you,” hastily, “we know you too well for 
that, even if we did not consider it dishonest ; but it is sim- 
ply to put you in a place where you can do yourself what 
you want done, that is, enforce the law yourself.” 

Laurence Freeman paused for a moment before replying. 
He saw how, if he should accept this offer, he would gain 
the approval of nearly all of the temperance people in all 
parties. To them it would appear to be a wise and patriotic 
thing to do. Only a small number, and those a few of his 
own party associates, the real party Prohibitionists having 
the wisdom to see that a victory of that kind would be worse 
than a defeat, would disapprove of such a course. And 
Hazel Worthington would be glad and would think that he 
did it for her sake ; he could claim her once more, feel the 
clasp of her hand in his, read the love messages in her eyes — 

“ I decline your offer,” he said shortly. 

Chairman Foster looked perplexed. The slight hesitation 
in Freeman’s manner bad evidently led him to think that his 
proposal would be accepted. 


50 


THE SHERIFF 


“Wait just a moment,” he. said, and going to the side of 
the secretary he held a moment’s whispered conversation 
with him, returning to Freeman at once. 

“Freeman,” he said, “we have all the better element of 
the Republican party on our side and the W. C. T. U. and 
other temperance societies as well. No one is holding off 
but your people, but there are enough license men in our 
own party to defeat us and elect a Democrat unless you peo- 
ple come to our help. Now we not only offer you a position 
as deputy sheriff to enforce the liquor law, but we will also 
appoint any other man to serve with you whom you may 
choose.” 

“ Your offer is declined,” replied Freeman firmly. -“ I 
would not support your candidate and party if you would 
give me the appointment of all the deputies that the county 
is entitled to. Aside from the question of betraying my 
party and my principles, I would be absolutely under the 
control of the sheriff ; and, if the past is any criterion by 
which to judge the future, the sheriff will be under the con- 
trol of your committee and yourself. I would have the 
responsibility but not the power; and the failure of a Prohi- 
bitionist to enforce the law to the letter would make splendid 
ammunition with which to fight my party in future conflicts, 
when it shall have been seen that Wrestler’s administration 
is a failure from an enforcement standpoint.” And Freeman 
ended the interview by quickly passing out. 

“ What’s to be done now ? ” asked Alphonso Watson 
blankly. 

“ Here’s my prescription,” said the secretary. “Get the 
leading temperance Republicans, W. C. T. U. workers, as 
many Good Templars as possible, to make it their business 
to see the Prohibitionists personally and sound the praises 


THE SHERIFF 


51 


of Wrestler, telling especially how he is at odds with the rum 
element of his own party. Then as fast as one Prohibition- 
ist is converted get him to repeat all this to his friends. We 
can't get them all, but by telling them what a splendid 
opportunity this is to get a strict and impartial enforcement 
of the law, we can pull the wool, over the eyes of a good 
many of them. 

“Good boy! ” cried Foster; “ I hear no objection and so 
we will consider this plan adopted by unanimous consent, 
work to begin immediately. The meeting is adjourned. ” 


CHAPTER VII 


NE Saturday afternoon about three weeks after the 



V7 newly elected county officials had taken over the 
various offices, Laurence Freeman was walking along one of 
the less frequented streets of Machigonne. He had not seen 
Hazel since their meeting in the summer and was thinking 
somewhat sadly of the hard fate that obliged him to choose 
between love and duty. 

The campaign had been a hard fought one, but Mr. 
Wrestler had been elected sheriff by a larger majority than 
any other man on the Republican party ticket. All of the 
various temperance societies had united in supporting him 
and he had drawn a large number of votes from the Prohibi- 
tion party, though some had withstood arguments, taunts 
and abuse for standing by their principles, feeling confident 
that the ultimate result would show that they were right in 
not supporting a good man in a bad party. 

Hazel Worthington stepping quickly from a house where 
she had been calling almost fell against him as her foot 
slipped on the last step above the sidewalk. 

A wave of color swept over her sensitive face and left it 
pale and cold, with an expression of sadness in her eyes like 
the reflection of the sadness that she instantly saw in his. 
She passed with a curt “ Good afternoon.” Whether this 
action was caused by embarrassment or a desire ta be un- 
friendly, Laurence could not determine. Not used to read- 
ing women’s hearts, he did not know how her heart fluttered 
because of the unexpected meeting, nor of the conflict be- 
tween love and pride in her own ideas of right that was going 
on in her mind continually. Neither could he realize that 


THE SHERIFF 


53 


the thing that was so clearly right to him might appear an evi- 
dence of obstinacy, and a foolish waste of effort, to her, and 
even a lack of love that is willing to sacrifice. 

Love conquered for the moment and she turned and held 
out her hand, but pride seemed in the ascendency again 
when she spoke : 

“ I see you have a paper in your hand, have you been read- 
ing the account of the seizure at Mike’s Place ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ And now that Mr. Wrestler is elected and has immedi- 
ately made a seizure at the most notorious place in the city, 
I suppose you are prepared to apologize and admit that, for 
once, you were mistaken in opposing him and I was right in 
working for his election ? ” 

“ I am always ready to apologize for a wrong or a mistake, 
but it is far from being proven yet that I either did wrong or 
was mistaken in this case. Mr. Wrestler has been sheriff 
for only three weeks, and his party managers realize that he 
must make a good showing at first.” 

“ But in these three weeks he has raided Mike’s Place 
twice — and a number of others.” 

“ But Mike’s trial on the second seizure had not occurred 
yet — it would be well to await the outcome before being sure 
that we are to get a strict enforcement.” 

“You are such an obstinate fellow! Don’t you know it 
is wicked to be so lacking in faith ? ” 

“ In God, yes, but the great trouble with the temperance 
cause in Maine is that the temperance people have too much 
faith in the promises of political bosses.’’ 

“ But this being the second seizure Mike will have to go 
to jail, will he not ? Mrs. Venters said he would because 
the law provides a jail sentence in such cases.” 


54 


THE SHERIFF 


“Mrs. Venters is correct as regards the law; but Mike 
will not go to jail. That depends upon the county attorney 
and the court, and it is not the plan of the political manag- 
ers to send any of the rumsellers to jail at this time.” 

“O, you are incorrigible. If only you wouldn’t be so 
obstinate about this I — could — could — ” 

“You could do what, Hazel ?” he asked stepping toward 
her, a deep note of tenderness in his voice. 

“Nothing!” she cried, an angry flush mounting to her 
brow. “ You care more for what you call principle than you 
do for me ! And why should I want to do anything ? ” And 
without waiting for an answer she turned and walked hastily 
away. “ Jim ” Starling, meeting her a short distance from 
where Laurence was standing, wondered as he spoke to her 
why there were tears in her eyes and why her voice trembled ; 
but he was wise enough not to ask questions. 

And if Laurence had been as well versed in the ways of 
women as he was in the wiles of politicians, he would have 
known that Hazel was suffering as well as he. 

But in a moment he was shaking hands cordially with 
Starling. 

“ I was sorry to learn that you and Hermon both lost your 
jobs a while ago,” he said, “ though I suppose honest men 
are not sorry to be independent of politicians. Just what 
was the reason for your discharge ? ” 

“ The mayor said that the reason was because I had 
directed Hermon to arrest a man who was continually inter- 
fering with the work of the firemen when that big wholesale 
store was burned a while ago. But when I met Mike 
McBlinche in the street the next day after Hermon and I 
were discharged, he shook his fist in my face and said: 
‘ When I say a man has been an officer in this burg long 


THE SHERIFF 


55 


enough, he goes ! See ? ’ And he related the incident of 
the warrant secured for Mike McBlinche. 

“ By the way, Freeman,” he continued, “ I have not felt it 
necessary to advertise the fact that I voted the Prohibition 
ticket at the last election and so the bosses are not afraid of 
me as they are of you. This morning I stepped into Chair- 
man Foster’s office, apparently for a friendly chat, but in 
reality to get some idea of what the enforcement game is 
under Wrestler.” 

Foster asked me to step into the private office while he 
saw a lady client to the door. Returning he stopped to 
gather up some papers from the table, when the door was 
thrown violently open and Mike McBlinche rushed in, his 
face purple with rage and his breath coming in snorts like 
that of an enraged hog.” 

‘“See here, Boss!’ he bellowed, ‘you told me that if I 
would work for Wrestler I would have to pay only one fine 
a year.’ ” 

“ ‘ That is correct, ’ responded the chairman, with his bland 
smile, ‘you haven’t paid more than one, have you ? ’ ” 

“ ‘ No, but Wrestler’s deputies came down on me again 
last night without any notice and seized two hundred and 
fifty dollars worth of my good stuff, and I had to give bail 
for my appearance in court to-morrow morning. Now if 
you’ve gone back on your promise I want to know r it, and 
I’ll defeat the whole party at the next election.’” 

“ ‘ What,’ cried Foster, startled out of his usual bland 
composure, ‘ has he raided you a second time ? ’ ” 

“ ‘ Has he ? ’ growled Mike, ‘ and didn’t you see the 
papers ? ’ ” 

“ ‘ No, I haven’t seen a paper, in fact just arrived in town. 
But I told him when he first began to enforce the law dis- 


56 


THE SHERIFF 


creetly ; and I supposed that he would understand what that 
meant and be satisfied with raiding each place once. But 
don’t worry, Mike,’ he said soothingly, returning to his bland 
manner, ‘ we’ll fix that with the county attorney. You’ll 
have no fine to pay and your stuff will be returned.’ ” 

“ ‘ Well, you just see that it is fixed all right, or the 
Republican party will get all that’s coming to it. You know 
what I can do ; and I’ll sure turn the whole thing over to 
the Democrats if it don’t come out straight as you tell me.’ ” 

And Mike, having great confidence in the chairman’s 
ability to “ fix things,” walked out considerably mollified. 

Other incidents of the new regime were well known to 
both Freeman and Starling. 

Sheriff Wrestler had began a series of raids on the rum- 
sellers immediately after entering upon the discharge of his 
duties. Mike McBlinche and a dozen more notorious offend- 
ers were put upon trial. One attorney was engaged to 
defend them all ; and it was evident to the hangers on in 
the municipal court that there was an understanding between 
them and the political bosses that all of them should be con- 
victed. This followed as a matter of course ; and each rum- 
seller promptly paid his fine of one hundred dollars and costs. 

After the session of court had adjourned, one rumseller 
who had not been under arrest, stepped up to the clerk’s 
desk and tendered one hundred dollars. 

“ What is that for ? ” asked the clerk. 

“To pay my fine.” 

“ But you have not been sentenced to pay a fine, you have 
not even been under arrest.” 

“That don’t make any difference, I ought to have been, 
and I want to pay my fine all the same ; I want the pro- 
tection.”' 


THE SHERIFF 


57 


And the clerk searched until he found a record of three 
years before, showing that this man had been sentenced to 
pay a fine of one hundred dollars for a former offence and 
that the sentence had been suspended ; and so took his 
money. 

But the saloons were only closed during the session of the 
court ; and as soon as it had adjourned business was going 
on again with nQ change except that a few closed their front 
doors and did business from the side or back door as the 
case might be. 

The preachers praised Sheriff Wrestler from their pulpits, 
the churches and the temperance societies generally passed 
resolutions approving highly of his work, and the local W. 
C. T. U. appointed a committee consisting of Hazel and two 
other ladies to present their congratulations in person. 

A few days later when passing the bulletin board 'of one 
of the daily papers Hazel saw that Mike McBlinche had 
appeared in court for his second trial but that the case had 
been dismissed by the county attorney without hearing any 
evidence. 

“I wonder if Laurence was right, after all?” she mused 
as she walked along the city street toward her home, “ but 
he ought to do as I want him to — or at least one would 
think he would do what I ask him to, if he loves me as he 
said he does. But I don’t believe I’d like him so well if he 
did give up what he calls his principles to please me. O 
dear, it is all an awful tangle to me — what is right and what 
is wrong ? But I love him anyway.” 

Her way led past “ Mike’s Place ” and she noticed as she 
approached that it appeared just as it had for several years. 
Wooden partitions had been built about three feet back from 
the windows and, in addition, the curtains were drawn in 


58 


THE SHERIFF 


such a way that they hid completely the interior of the room, 
except the part already hidden by the partitions. About 
four feet inside the outer doors were swinging doors so 
arranged as to shut out any view of the room from the street 
even when the outer door was open to allow customers to 
pass in or out. A casual observer, especially if from a 
license city, would not suspect it to be a rum shop and, if 
informed, would wonder how any business^ could be done 
under such conditions of secrecy. 

A young man, leaning carelessly against the side of the 
building, scrutinized Hazel closely as she approached and, 
raising one foot, pressed his heel apparently against the 
wall. Almost instantly a number of men came out hurriedly 
and separated as soon as they reached the street. The 
young man had pushed an electric bell button with his heel 
and Mike had had warning that some undesirable person 
was showing an interest in the shop. Hazel was sufficiently 
familiar with the illegal drink traffic to know the meaning of 
this and was very sure that Mike had quickly deposited his 
“hard liquors” in a convenient “hide.” She was a little 
amused for a moment to think that a girl could frighten a 
rumseller without even ‘attempting to enter his shop ; but 
her amusement was turned to sadness when she saw that 
her brother Randolph was among the men who had come 
out so hastily. She perceived at once that he was partially 
intoxicated. His linen was soiled, his clothing wrinkled and 
dirty; and altogether he had lost that indefinable something 
that distinguished a gentleman, though still trying to appear 
polite and dignified. 

He had paused to exchange low stories with a man who 
had apparently fallen a step or two lower than himself, as 
Hazel approached. 


THE SHERIFF 


59 


“O Randolph!” Hazel cried, “I am so sorry! I was in 
hopes that after McBlinche was arrested his rumshop would 
be closed for good and that you would go home to your wife 
and children without the smell of liquor on your breath.” 

“O, Evelyn won’t mind,” answered Randolph thickly, 
“ I’ve got a bottle of ale for her. But, say, Hazel, you’re 
getting a little too cranky about this thing — I just take a 
little when I’m tired and need it.” 

“We cannot talk here,” said Hazel. “Come home with 
me.” 

“All right, Hazel,” and he linked his arm with hers and 
walked just a little unsteadily along. the street. 

“ Say, Hazel,” Randolph continued, “ I saw Laurence 
Freeman to-day and he looked sort of glum. I wonder if it 
is because you turned him down and have been about with 
Alphonso Watson so much?” 

“O, I guess not,” answered Hazel with a blush. “ I don’t 
think he cares so much for me after all ; he wouldn’t vote 
for Mr. Wrestler when I asked him to, and that doesn’t look 
as if he wished very much to please me.” 

“ But you did turn him down ? ” 

“ Yes, I did,” angrily; “ but never mind that now. I want 
you to stop drinking, and I believe you could if you did not 
have to pass that horrid place several times a day. And I 
was so sure that Sheriff Wrestler would close it up, though 
Laurence insisted that he couldn’t do so, no matter how 
hard he might try.” 

“ Yes, I think I could stop and never touch the stuff if I 
didn’t have to smell it every day and many times a day. I 
voted and worked for Wrestler, hoping that he would close 
every rumshop in the city; but I guess Laurence is right 
after all and the party bosses won’t let him do it.” 


60 


THE SHERIFF 


“ But won’t you try to stop drinking and go around some 
other way when you go to and from your work?” 

“I’ll try, Hazel, but the men who frequent Mike’s Place 
are my friends and daily companions and it is hard to refuse 
their invitations.” 

Nevertheless, on reaching 'home, he handed Evelyn the 
bottle of ale. 

“O, Evelyn, please don’t drink that stuff ! ” cried Hazel ; 
“ it will make you drunk.” 

“ Nonsense,” replied Evelyn, laughing, “ the doctor pre- 
scribed it for my stomach trouble,” and she filled a glass 
and drank it eagerly. 

Hazel lay awake all that night, sometimes sobbing softly 
and at others thinking, thinking, thinking. Her brother and 
his wife both likely to become drunkards, and every effort 
that she had made to save them proving a failure. Could it 
be possible that Laurence was right after all and the elec- 
tion of a sheriff pledged to the enforcement of the prohibi- 
tory law was not enough ? Surely it seemed so. But, on 
the other hand, were all the good people who had supported 
Sheriff Wrestler, including Mrs. Venters and the W. C. T. 
Unions, mistaken? 

And in either case, why had she treated Laurence so 
cruelly when she loved him so ? 


CHAPTER VIII 


W HILE Hazel lay worrying over the sad situation con- 
fronting her, a stormy meeting of the Republican 
county committee was in session. The sheriff and the lead- 
ing members of the committee were present, but the younger 
members and those known to be strongly in favor of enforce- 
ment, especially from the country towns, had evidently not 
received notice. 

The chairman with his bland smile presided. 

“ Why did you make those second raids, especially on 
Mike’s Place ? ” he asked the sheriff. 

Sheriff Wrestler had been greatly surprised at receiving an 
imperative summons to attend an evening session of the 
county committee and at the evidently hostile attitude of 
his political friends. So he replied slowly, showing some 
embarrassment in voice and manner : 

“ I don’t think I quite understand your question, gentle- 
men. It is my duty, as I understand my oath of office, to 
enforce the prohibitory law to the best of my knowledge and 
ability ; and I intend to raid the rumshops until I put them 
out of business.” 

“ But, you will remember, I told you when you first began 
that we expected you to enforce the law discreetly . ” 

“ I remember your words, but you did not explain what 
you meant by them.” 

“ Then to be perfectly plain, Wrestler,” still with the bland 
smile, “you are showing too much zeal and not enough dis- 
cretion. It is the plan of this committee to have the sheriff 
raid the rumshops, and find the goods once, or, at most, 
twice in a year. The fines help to pay the expenses of the 


62 


THE SHERIFF 


county, and it is much better than to attempt the impossible 
feat of shutting them up altogether.” 

“ But you nominated me after I had pledged myself to 
enforce the law against liquor selling, and you continually 
urged me to make it strong in my campaign speeches.” 

“ It is very evident that you are not a politician, Wrestler,” 
the bland smile showing a pitying condescension, “ that was 
absolutely necessary to success. Without it we would have 
lost the votes of many of the temperance men in our party 
and could not have gained the support of the Prohibitionists 
or the W. C. T. U.” 

“Then,” hesitatingly, “you do not expect me to keep my 
oath of office ? ” 

“ Of course we do, but we want you to do it discreetly ; 
you are not a rich man and, as it is impossible to close the 
saloons, it is better to regulate them and get your pay for 
doing so. The breweries in other states stand ready to pay 
you a fair commission on all ale and beer sold in the city. 
This is not like whiskey and the other strong drinks ; and 
you can still keep your oath of office by regulating the sale 
in this way and make a dollar for yourself.” 

“ But the law prohibits the sale of ale and beer as well as 
whiskey, though for that matter all the places that I raided 
the second time were selling whiskey — and besides I am no 
bribe taker.” 

The hesitation and embarrassment had disappeared and 
Wrestler spoke in a strong, even voice. 

“ This is merely a matter of business,” continued the chair- 
man, “ and what your predecessors have done and successors 
will do. But if you are thin-skinned about turning an honest 
dollar, think of the effect that this will have on the party 
that elected you.” 


THE SHERIFF 


63 


“ You have just said that it was necessary that I promise 
enforcement in order to be elected ; and if so, why should 
nullification be necessary to save the party ? ” 

“ Because the liquor dealers furnish the sinews of war and 
they and their friends control enough votes to hold the bal- 
ance of power ; and if we can’t hold both the rum vote and 
the temperance vote of our party it is a gone goose in this 
county.” 

“I don’t see that all this absolves me from my oath.” 

“ Wrestler, this is rank ingratitude. We made you politi- 
cally and at our first attempt to get you to run your office in 
the interest of the party, you meet us with open rebellion.” 

“Was it your intention from the beginning to force me to 
obey the orders of this committee ? ” 

“ It was the expectation of your friends on this committee 
that you would follow out our wishes as some recognition of 
of what we have done for you.” 

The other members of the committee had listened to the 
colloquy between the chairman and the sheriff without inter- 
rupting until this time. But as the sheriff paused, with 
downcast face and twitching lips, Alphonso Watson broke 
in hastily : 

“Look here, boys,” he said, “we don’t want any of this 
ramrod enforcement; it don’t give a good man any show. 
Now I know of a fellow who holds down a good job. He is 
foreman of the Tontine Stove Foundry. Just now he is drink- 
ing quite hard and if ever he goes into that foundry drunk, 
he loses his job and I get it. I’m a better man than he is 
and deserve it ; but he has told me more than once that if 
Mike’s Place was closed up tight he could cut out the booze 
quick. Now I say let Mike’s Place run and let such fellows 
as him get the bounce and give us other fellows a chance.” 


64 


THE SHERIFF 


“ It seems to me that the argument is in favor of enforce- 
ment,” said the sheriff, “but I must confess that I have seen 
more light on the question to-night than ever I have before.” 

“ I thought you would see things in the right light after a 
little confidential conversation,” said the chairman, smiling 
more blandly than ever. “ Now what we want you to do is 
to make two or three raids a day, so that the temperance 
people will see that something is being done. But it is not 
necessary to take all the stock on hand, especially if you 
have to search for it ; and there is no need of taking the 
owners or bar keepers into court, except once or twice a 
year, so as to get the fines that it is only fair they should 
pay. Other people have to pay taxes and it is only fair that 
rumsellers should pay their share.” 

“You misunderstand me,” said the sheriff, “I did not 
mean that I would accept your proposals. Had I been 
aware that I was expected to be simply the tool of a com- 
mittee who does not want the law enforced, I would never 
have attempted to get the office ; but now that I am sheriff 
I shall enforce the law to the best of my knowledge and 
ability.” He spoke in a voice that trembled slightly and 
there were signs in his face of a hard struggle. 

The chairman’s face hardened and a steely glitter came 
into his eyes, though the bland smile still curved his lips. 

“ You may retire, Mr. Wrestler,” he said curtly. 

And the sheriff passed quietly out into the night. 

“ That’s open rebellion,” said Watson as the door closed, 
“ What’s to be done now, chairman ? ” 

“We’ve simply got to bring that fellow to his senses,” 
answered the chairman. Using the desk telephone, he 
called a “ Mr. Smith ” and said : “ Send Tim up at once.” 

“ He’s in bed,” came the reply. 


THE SHERIFF 


65 


“ It doesn’t matter if he is, send him here at once,” and 
the chairman laid aside the ’phone and began to talk jovially 
with Watson. 

" So you’re looking for Randolph Worthington’s place ? ” 
he asked. 

“How do you know ?” asked Watson, “I didn’t mention 
any names. 

“ Sure you didn’t, but I caught on just the same. How 
will the pretty sister like that ? ” 

“ She doesn’t know anything about it and I intend to be 
blame careful that she don’t.” 

“ Well, Watson, I guess you are a better politician than I 
took you for. A man who can cut out a fanatical Prohibi- 
tionist like Freeman, with his best girl and at the same time 
cut the girl’s brother out of a job, is certainly all right for a 
county committee man.” 

In a short time “ Tim,” the typical street tough who had 
served Sheriff Rumpler so well, put in an appearance, 
rubbing his eyes and yawning. 

“We’ve got a job for you, Tim,” said the chairman, “and 
it will keep you good and busy.” 

“ Anything in it ? ” 

“ Two dollars a day.” 

“ Aint there any booze ? ” 

“ Not much, this requires a wide awake fellow ; but I 
suppose we can give you a check on Mike for two drinks a 
day if you do a good job.” 

“ All right, I’m your man. What’s the job ? ” 

“ To watch Sheriff Wrestler, find out where and when he 
intends to make raids and give our friends warning when 
he intends to raid any place. I will agree with them on a 
signal. The word “ blow ” will be as good as any, and when 


66 


THE SHERIFF 


you call by telephone just say “ blow ” and give the hour 
when he is likely to make the raid.” 

“All right, Boss, but you know I can’t get much around 
the sheriff’s office, they don’t like me.” 

“ That is all right ; you are to do the work on the streets 
and I will have another man for the inside work. Now go 
and tell Mike and as many of the others as you can find 
to-night and to-morrow morning that there is trouble and 
that they had better keep a look out for a few days. That 
will do now, Tim.” 

When Tim had passed out, the chairman turned to Watson. 

“ The next thing to do,” he said, “ is to get one or two of 
Wrestler’s deputies on the string and have them post us as 
to Wrestler’s intentions. That is, when he or one of the 
deputies swears but a warrant, our man must be informed 
of it so that Tim can give the warning before he can have it 
served.” 

“I know just the man to touch,” said Watson, “that’s 
Jones. He is a little relation to Wrestler and he thinks 
Jones is as honest as the day is long. I’ll see him the first 
thing in the morning and arrange to have him give us the 
tip every time. Twenty-five dollars once in a while will fix 
him all right.” 

“Well, then that is all settled, and I’m sleepy; let’s 
adjourn to bed.” 

So the meeting adjourned ; and neither the temperance 
voters who had supported Sheriff Wrestler, nor the general 
public ever knew that such a meeting had been held. 


CHAPTER IX 


R andolph Worthington staggered into the 

room where Hazel was sitting with his wife and threw 
himself heavily into a chair. Evelyn did not seem to be 
much disturbed by his appearance, but Hazel cried out 
sharply, and pulled a chair close to him. “What is the 
matter, Randolph ? ” she asked. 

“Matter enough,” he replied, thickly. “I’ve been, dis- 
charged.” 

“ On — on — account of the — the drink ? ” 

“That’s what the boss said. He accused me of spoiling 
a lot of work and misusing my power as foreman and mak- 
ing trouble among the men. Of course he blamed it to the 
booze, and rubbed it in by telling me that he had warned 
me several times that I must cut it out if I wanted to hold 
my job. But it is my opinion that your friend Watson was 
at the bottom of the whole thing. He has been trying to 
get my job for a long time and now he’s got it. You made 
a bad bargain when you traded Freeman off for him.” 

“ I wonder if he could have been so mean as to plot 
against you ? ” said Hazel, sadly. “ He always seemed kind 
and did what he could to help me when I tried to have 
Mike’s Place closed.” 

“ Sure ! and he was hand in glove with Foster and Mike 
and all the rest of that gang all the time, and planning to 
get my job.” 

“And I was so in hopes that Sheriff Wrestler would put 
Mike out of business. I am sure you could have stopped 
drinking if it hadn’t been for that horrid place.” 


68 


THE SHERIFF 


“ Sure I could, Sis.” 

“ But you have been drinking now, and, O Randolph, you 
are drunk ! ” 

“ That’s right, Sis, I’m drunk. There’s nothing for it 
now but to keep drunk or throw myself off the wharf.” 

“O, no, you won’t do that Randolph, we will save you 
yet !” and then to herself, “ It is such a hopeless task trying 
to get the officers to close those joints ; ” and she rapidly 
reviewed in her mind the events of Sheriff Wrestler’s admin- 
istration, now nearing its close. 

She had had frequent interviews with “ Jim ” Starling, who 
had kept her well informed as to what was occurring, nearly 
always managing to drop a word favorable to Laurence 
Freeman, so that she knew more of the inside political work- 
ings than many of the Republican party voters, for Starling 
was an adept at procuring political information — to be used 
later by Laurence Freeman. 

It had appeared from Starlings reports, at various times, 
that on the day following the night session of the county 
committee, previously described, Mr. Wrestler had attempted 
to show his independence by personally procuring another 
warrant for Mike McBlinche and putting it into the hands of 
two of his best deputies to serve. Very much to their sur- 
prise, for they thought that they would take him entirely 
unawares and “ catch him with the goods,” they found the 
door locked and Mike standing on the street corner, hands 
in pockets and a big pipe in his mouth. 

“ How is it that you are not doing business this morning, 
Mike ? ” one of the deputies had asked. 

“ I’ve gone out of business,” Mike had responded 
nonchalantly, blowing a great cloud of smoke from his 
mouth. 


THE SHERIFF 


69 


“ That’s hard to believe, Mike,” the deputy had responded, 
“ I guess there is some liquor in there.” 

“ Nothing but soft drinks ; but if you don’t believe me 
here’s the key — -look for yourselves.” 

The deputies had entered the building and made quite a 
thorough search, but had found nothing seizable under the 
law. 

Yet in fifteen minutes after they had passed from sight 
Mike was again doing business. “The stuff,” so Starling 
had said, had been hidden in a cleverly constructed hide in 
a nearby building, and of course Mike had received warning 
of the deputies’ intended visit in time to carry his small 
stock there and hide it from inquisitive eyes. For Mike, 
like others in the same business, left the bulk of each 
consignment of liquors in the express company’s charge, 
addressed to a fictitious name, and called for a few bottles 
at a time as needed. This was necessary even under politi- 
cal protection for, unlike a license law, trouble was liable to 
occur under the prohibitory law at any time, and some 
zealous citizen could often make the officials do their duty 
against their will. 

Similar conditions were found to exist at the other places 
where liquors were sold. Where seizures had been made 
once, the rumsellers were prepared for a second visit, 
watchers being always on duty near the doors and hides 
made ready to quickly receive the liquors. But even under 
these conditions a goodly number of arrests were made dur- 
ing the first few months. But when a rumseller appeared in 
court who had previously paid a fine, he escaped punishment 
entirely or at most paid another fine of one hundred dollars. 
Frequently the county attorney would not prosecute the case, 
usually giving no reason at all, but sometimes claiming that 


70 


THE SHERIFF 


there was not evidence enough to convict and that it would 
be only a waste of time to try it. In some instances the 
rumsellers would give one name to the officers and another 
to the court when their cases were presented, and they 
would be discharged on the ground that the warrant was 
drawn against the wrong party. When it was thought use- 
less to deny their identity entirely they would claim that 
their middle initial was different from that in the warrant — 
and be discharged. 

For a long time the sheriff was puzzled to know how it 
happened that his plans were so fully known and why he 
could make no progress towards closing the joints, but after 
the chairman of the county committee had said to him one 
day, “You see, Wrestler, it don’t pay to rebel against your 
maker,” he saw plainly that his party machine was defeating 
his efforts at every turn. Though feeling sure that some of 
his deputies had been tampered with, he did not suspect 
Jones. 

The result was that he soon became discouraged and his 
administration of the sheriff’s office was but little better than 
Rumpler’s. He was a disgraced man in the eyes of the best 
men who had helped to elect him ; for they were equally 
ignorant of tricks played upon him and the power and dispo- 
sition of the other officials to bring his efforts to naught. 
He was openly accused of accepting bribes from the rum- 
sellers and consenting to the illegal traffic for the sake of 
future political advancement. But a mistaken sense of loy- 
alty to his party and a lack of moral courage prevented him 
giving the public the real reason for his failure. 

And now another heated political campaign was in prog- 
ress. The Democrats, taking advantage of Republican 
trickery to defeat the purpose of the prohibitory law, in- 


THE SHERIFF 


71 


veighed loudly against the law itself, advocating its repeal 
in order that a license law might be passed. Their only 
argument was Republican nullification, but so little was 
known by the voters at large of the underhand methods 
employed to bring the law into disrepute that a few honest 
people came to agree with the rabble that license might be 
better — but they were people who had had no intimate 
experience with the operation of license laws. The Demo- 
crats had nominated a candidate for sheriff on this platform 
though with no hope of electing him. The Republicans 
had nominated a man who they claimed to the temperance 
people would enforce the law, but whose pledges were not 
so strong as had been those of Wrestler. And the Prohibi- 
tionists had nominated Laurence Freeman. 

“O dear,” sighed Hazel, “it is all a muddle to me; and I 
can’t understand why men should do such mean things in 
the interest of the rummies for the sake of what money or 
political influence they can gain by it. I do wish Laurence 
could be elected sheriff of this county. I always thought 
he was cranky and unreasonable, but I now believe he is 
right.” 

Randolph roused himself from a semi-stupor and attempted 
to leave the house, but Hazel, fearing that he would do 
himself some harm, induced him to lie down upon a sofa in 
the room and bathed his head with cold water until he fell 
asleep. Feeling that he was now safe and that it would be 
unwise to try to awake him and get him to his room, she 
and Evelyn retired for the night. But when she arose at 
about midnight and went to the sitting room to see if she 
could do anything further for him, he was missing. 

She had just made a rapid search of the house when the 
door bell rang. It was “Jim” Starling who had rung the 


THE SHERIFF 


' 72 

bell, but as soon as Hazel opened the door she saw an 
ambulance in the street. 

“ O, what is the matter ? ” she cried. 

“A little accident,” Starling replied, soothingly. “ Ran- 
dolph was struck by a passing train and hurt somewhat. 
Laurence and I happened to be returning from a political 
meeting at just the nick of time to pick him up.” 

Very carefully he and Laurence carried the injured man 
into the house. His left leg was very badly crushed and 
the surgeon had already told him that it would have to be 
amputated. 

Both Laurence and Starling had seen Randolph deliber- 
ately throw himself in front of a moving train and knew 
that it was an attempt to commit suicide. They had rushed 
to the spot and dragged him nearly off the track before the 
train was upon him, but not in time to prevent it passing 
over his leg. But of course they did not tell Hazel this. 


CHAPTER X 


O N the day that Randolph Worthington was first able to 
move about the room with the aid of a crutch and 
Hazel’s willing arm, the morning papers told of the election 
of Laurence Freeman to the office of sheriff of Landbercum 
county. The result of the election, so the paper stated, was 
entirely unexpected to the managers of both the old parties 
and, for that matter, to the Prohibitionists themselves. The 
result of the Democratic campaign for license was the loss of 
more than fifteen per cent of their vote to the Prohibition 
party candidate, while the Republican policy of nullification 
had cost that party about sixty per cent of their total vote. 

“I wish this had happened two years ago, Sis,” said 
Randolph as he laid aside the paper. “ If he had been 
elected two years ago, instead of Wrestler, I would have two 
good legs now.” 

“ Then you are sure that he will close the rum shops. O 
won’t that be good ! And when you go on the street again 
you will be safe.” 

“ Yes, I am very sure that I can leave the stuff alone with 
the rum shops shut up. I can resist the temptation when I 
would have to hunt in some back alley for a pocket peddler t 
or dig it out of a garbage heap. But Freeman will have a 
hard row to hoe with all the other county officials and the 
court against him. If they had filled all the offices with 
Prohibitionists, Machigonne would be dryer than Sahara. 
But all Freeman can do is to seize the liquors, arrest the 
rumsellers and put them before the court ; the county attor- 
ney and the judge will do the rest.” 


74 


THE SHERIFF 


On the day that Laurence Freeman entered upon his duties 
as sheriff the door of every rum shop in the city was locked, 
including that occupied by Mike McBlinche. But the. genial 
Mike, not quite realizing the change that had taken place 
and still relying on the help of Chairman Foster, had con- 
structed a new and very complicated “ hide ” and had in- 
structed his customers to come in through a dark alley to 
the back door. 

But when, a week later, Chairman Foster returned to the 
city from a vacation trip to New York, the first man to come 
to his office was Mike McBlinche — and a very troubled 
looking Mike he was. 

“ What’s the matter now, Mike ? ” asked the chairman. 
The bland smile was not so much in evidence and there was 
a nervous twisting of the lips that none of his associates had 
seen before. 

“ Matter enough,” growled Mike. “This new Prohibition 
sheriff landed on me the first ground hop. I had the stuff 
hid where Wrestler’s men would never have found it if they 
had hunted a year ; but that devil of a Freeman caught on 
and scooped the stuff and me too.” 

“ You expected that with a Prohibition sheriff, didn’t you.” 

“Yes, I wasn’t none surprised. But instead of telling me 
to come into court in the morning, they took me along with 
'them and I had to give bail to keep from being locked up. 
And in the mornin’ I had to pay me fine, because I was 
afraid that if I appealed to the superior court Freeman 
would get the judge to jail me, seems as if he has more 
influence there than in the city court. But that isn’t all of 
it. . I had another lot of stuff hid under a pile of straw in 
my stable. Last night I told Tim to bring it up so we could 
work it off to the men who go to work early, before the 


THE SHERIFF 


75 


deputies get around. Tim brought it up all right and I 
tipped him he had a cinch to sell it out while the deputies 
were in court givin’ their evidence against me. And what 
did that devil of a sheriff do but send two more deputies to 
arrest Tim. They crep’ ’round corners and got close to the 
door and jumped him just as he was pourin’ out a glass. 
So of course they got him and the stuff and brought him 
right in while I was there. Then they postponed his trial 
till to-morrow and I had to put up cash bail for him. And 
them two deputies ! who wuz they but Starlin’ and Hermon 
that we had fired fur trying to interfere with my business 
that time ! ” 

“ Well, that was rather hard.” 

“ Hard nuttin ! That aint a thing to what they done to 
me while you wuz away. I kep’ the front door locked and 
fixed a beam against the back door so the divil himself 
couldn’t break it in. An’ then I made a hole in the brick 
wall an’ passed the drinks out, lettin ’ me customers drink in 
the alley ; and blamed if them divils didn’t git ini-o the cellar 
an’ Freeman got onto Starling’s shoulders an’ crawled up 
through a trap door in the floor behind the counther. I 
never saw the divil at all ; an’ jist as I was takin’ a bottle to 
the hole in the wall, he grabbed me by the laigs and t’rowed 
me down. They got me into court agin an’ I tried to get 
the county attorney to let me off the same as he used to. 
He said he’d like to, but everybuddy knew the sheriff was 
onto his job an’ he didn’t dare do it. He said that Freeman 
had all the temperunce people behind him an’ not a solitary 
man voted for him that had any interest in the rum business. 
Then I tried the jedge an’ he dassen’t either, an’ blame if 
he didn’t hold me for the superior court.” 

“ I guess they’ve sure got it in for you, Mike.” 


76 


THE SHERIFF 


“ An’ that aint all of it neither. What d’ye spose them 
two divils, Starlin’ an’ Hermon done while Freeman was 
totin’ me up to the police station ? ” 

“ I don’t know, what did they. do ? ” 

“ They left the beam against the back door the same as I 
left it an’ fastened the iron shutters on the inside. Then, as 
near as I can find out, they nailed the trap door down, put 
out the fire, turned all the faucets in the place till the floor 
was covered with about four inches of water mixed with the 
sawdust. Tim was hangin’ ’round to see what wuz goin’ on 
an’ they made him give up his key, an’ took mine off the 
nail, cum away, after lockin’ the front door, an’ the water is 
froze into a solid block of ice — it must be, it’s bin so cold. 
An’ I can’t git into me own shop. Now I want to know 
what are you goin’ to do about it ? ” 

“ Not a blame thing,”' replied the chairman disconsolately. 
The Prohibitionists nominated Freeman and they and the 
temperance people elected him, and we haven’t a string on 
him anywhere.” 

“ Can’t we buy him ? ” I’ve got a thousand to put into 
it.” 

“ No, we can’t buy him,” replied the chairman petulantly. 
“ You don’t think we would let things go this far without 
trying, do you ? And we can’t scare him, for those fanatical 
Prohibitionists won’t scare any more than the old martyrs, 
and we can’t talk to him about sticking to the party that 
elected him, because the party didn’t elect him. Besides, 
his own party would be down on him like a thousand of 
brick if he should let up on you fellows a feather weight. 
So you see he has the same reason for enforcing the law that 
our men had for not enforcing it — the party would fire them 
in either case.” 


THE SHERIFF 


77 


Mike McBlinche has always regarded the chairman as 
almost omnipotent in political matters and in his ability to 
protect rumsellers ; and this reply brought a settled gloom 
over the red, repulsive features. 

“ Can’t you do nuthin’ a tall ? ” he pleaded. “ Can’t you 
fix it with the county attorney and the judge ? They’re both 
in the good old party, aint they?” 

“Yes, they’re in the party yet and of course we will give 
them their instructions to hamper the sheriff all they can 
while making believe theyhe helping him. But you see that 
the temperance people are so mad with us that if they don’t 
follow the law pretty close there will be an all-fired row and 
the whole crowd of us will be dumped into the soup at the 
next election. The fact is I’m discouraged, Mike, and I 
guess the safest thing for you to do is to close up shop. 
There’s no doubt that Freeman is hot after your scalp ; and 
for that matter the scalps of all the rest of the dealers.” 

“Well, I’ve got a few more tricks to play and I want you 
to try to fix things with the county attorney so that if he 
catches me again I won’t have to go to jail. But I feel it in 
my bones that he’ll land me there before his term of office is 
out.” And Mike gloomily departed. 

With the aid of a locksmith he succeeded in entering his 
shop. That night a mason and a plumber arrived and built 
another elaborate “ hide.” A part of the brick wall between 
his building and the adjoining one was removed and a flat 
copper tank was built in with the old bricks, the new mortar 
being colored to resemble the old. A water pipe was 
attached to the top of the tank and to a wash bowl in an 
upper room, so that it could be filled whenever it should be 
necessary. Another pipe was attached to the bottom and 
led to a kitchen sink in the other building, where a com- 


78 


THE SHERIFF 


bination faucet, having the appearance of an ordinary water 
faucet was placed. When turned, only city water could be 
drawn from it, but by pressing a concealed spring and turn- 
ing the faucet at the same time the whiskey from the tank 
would flow into the glass. As an after thought he placed a 
dish of disinfectant in the sink where it could be used 
instantly to deaden the smell of the whiskey. To make 
assurance doubly sure, he had electric push buttons placed 
at the farther corners of each building and watchers posted 
to ring when they should have any inkling of the approach 
of the sheriffs. 

“ Now let’s see ’em get us ! ” he said to Tim. “ I’m only 
going to keep the tank full of whiskey and leave the bottles 
and jugs at the express office. Even that divil sheriff can’t 
interfere with them, ’cause the United States pertects ’em in 
bringin’ it in. I’ll give ’em orders to let you have it and 
you can bring it up every day or two or three times a day. 
Even if Freeman or his deputies see you, they’ll never find 
that tank.” 

“ But they’ll catch me for illegal transportation,” whimpered 
Tim, who had conceived a wholesome fear of the Prohibition 
sheriff. 

“ But we’ve got to fight this feller, Tim,” he continued. 
“ The Whiskey Trust fellers and wholesale men in other 
states that I’ve bin buyin’ from has promised that they’ll 
back me with any amount of money if I will keep right on 
with me business and show that a Prohibition sheriff can’t 
enforce the law. They say fur me to give it away if I can’t 
sell it. They calculate that with the help of the mare and 
perlice we can show up more drunks than before, even if 
there aint so many. That’ll sicken the people uv Prohibi- 
tion and they’ll elect the Democrats next time ; and then we 


THE SHERIFF 


79 


can do business out in the open and make money. You’ll 
have good job, Tim, and stand behind a marble bar with a 
white coat on right on Main street where all the pretty girls 
can see you, instead of hidin’ in a dark shop and watchin’ 
for trouble as we’ve bin doin’, even when our frien’s was 
runnin’ things.” 


CHAPTER XI 


A MOB was gathered in front of Mike’s Place completely 
filling the street, and it could be easily seen that it 
was in an ugly mood. 

Several times the sheriff’s deputies had descended upon 
Mike’s Place, but the watchers had pressed the buttons, the 
buzzers had rung and Mike had had sufficient warning to 
flush the sink with water in which the disinfectant had been 
used to deaden the smell of the whiskey ; and all the efforts 
of the deputies had failed in locating the place from which 
the whiskey came. 

But the sheriff was very sure that Mike was still selling 
liquor, though only at liberty on bail until the next session 
of the superior court. But the best efforts of Starling and 
Hermon had failed to locate the “hide.” 

Laurence had passed by Mike’s Place several times during 
the day, but each time the watchers were prepared and the 
bells rang loud and long, so that when he entered there was 
no sign of illicit traffic. When he had passed on for appar- 
ently the last time, a few customers were hastily served. 
But the watchers were so intent in watching for the sheriff 
or his deputies that they scarcely noticed the approach of 
two strangers, until a hand was laid heavily on the shoulder 
of each and they were ordered to march to the police 
station. 

Laurence had called in two of his deputies from one of 
the country towns, who were unknown by sight to the watch- 
ers. He had acted as a decoy himself, while the deputies 
had strolled carelessly along from opposite directions and 


THE SHERIFF 


81 


arrested the watchers as vagrants — “loitering about the 
streets without visible means of support.” 

Of course the bells had not rung, and at this psychological 
moment Laurence had slipped into the building and dis- 
covered that the sink was smelling of whiskey. In a few 
minutes he had discovered, by the fresh appearance of 
the mortar despite the coloring, that the bricks had been 
removed from the wall and afterwards replaced. 

The mob had gathered quickly on seeing the watchers 
taken away by the two deputies and were now waiting for 
the appearance of Laurence, vowing that he should never 
get away with “ that good stuff.” 

Two policemen, whose duty it was to clear the streets, 
walked by as closely as possible to the walls of the building, 
evidently not daring to ask the men, women and boys com- 
posing the mob to move on. 

By a vigorous use of his jimmy, Laurence soon loosened 
the bricks and removed the tank. It held several gallons of 
liquor and he was obliged to place it on his shoulders and 
hold it with both hands. 

As soon as he appeared in the doorway he was greeted 
with a storm of jeers and insults. One of the hoodlums 
attempted to grab the tank from his shoulders, but a vigorous 
kick disposed of him. Then a large stone, thrown from a 
second story window, struck the tank and nearly knocked it 
from his shoulders ; but Laurence walked' determinedly on, 
hoping each moment for the return of his allies, the two 
country deputies. He had left the mob a little behind him, 
probably it was so planned by them, and was congratulating 
himself that he would soon be out of danger, when another 
stone, hurled with all the strength of Mike McBlinche’s arm, 
struck him on the temple and he fell dazed and bleeding to 


82 


THE SHERIFF 


the pavement. The mob rushed towards him, a hundred 
hands outstretched to recover the tank of whiskey. But 
Mike McBlinche was the nearest. Raging like a bull, he 
rushed to the side of the fallen man, caught the jimmy 
from his belt, and kneeling on his breast swung the heavy 
iron instrument above his head. With the hate and venom 
and brute strength behind it, a blow from the jimmy meant 
almost certain death. But the blow did not fall. 

From a dark alley rushed a white shape and a sudden jerk 
caused Mike to lose his balance and fall sprawling in the 
street. The mob fell back in awe for a moment. 

“Aw! it’s nothin’ but a woman,” cried Tim from the 
midst of the crowd. “ It’s that Hazel Worthington wot’s 
always complainin’ to the sheriffs. Grab de tank and 
skidoo ! De bloke’s dead and we don’t want to stay here 
long.” 

Two of the men stepped forward to take the tank, expect- 
ing no resistance from Hazel, but she had secured the 
jimmy by this time and stood on guard over her fallen 
lover. “ Don’t touch that,” she cried, as one of the men 
stooped to raise it. 

“ Aw, who’s afraid of you ? ” he asked and, as if realizing 
what would hurt her most, he raised his foot and aimed a 
kick at Laurence, who was now feebly attempting to raise 
himself. But he fell back with a howl of pain as the heavy 
jimmy came down upon his right arm with sufficient force to 
crack the bone. 

“ Grab the tank and skip ! ” howled Tim, “ the whole 
bloomin’ crowd of deputies is cornin’ ! ” 

A team was rushing down the street. In it were Starling, 
Hermon and one of the country deputies. While the latter 
headed the horse into the midst of the mob, Starling and 


THE SHERIFF 


83 


Hermon leaped from the wagon and struck with their heavy 
jimmies every head that came in their way. A few 
moments of this vigorous charge demoralized the mob and 
they broke and ran. But not before Mike McBlinche and 
Tim had been caught and handcuffed. 

“Sure me head is broke,” wailed Tim, “an’ now it’s jail 
fur me, I feel it in me bones.” 

“ Right y’are, Tim,” growled McBlinche, “ they’ve bruck 
every bone in me body an’ it’s good company you’ll be havin’ 
in jail. If ever I gets out uv this scrape I’ll give it up an’ 
go to some State where they aint got no prohibition law an’ 
a man can sell rum decent.” 

Hazel stooped and lifted the bleeding head of her lover 
into her lap and tried to wipe away the crimson stain with her 
handkerchief. O, my love!” she cried, “ I accused you of 
being obstinate in sticking to what you called principle, and 
you were right, right, right! and I was wrong. And now 
perhaps you have given your life for the sake of saving my 
poor brother and others like him. And I have been cruel 
and wicked to you, so cruel and unkind. Can you ever for- 
give me ? ” 

“It’s all right, Hazel, dear,” murmured Laurence, as the 
faithful deputies lifted him into the wagon. When I am able 
to talk straight I will ask you a question that I asked you 
once before.” 

“ I am not worthy of you, Laurence, after all my foolish 
pride and obstinacy ; but if you love me after all that has 
passed, you need not ask the question for I am saying “ yes ” 
now.” 

“ Without any conditions ? ” 

“Without any conditions except that you will always love 
me and be patient with my faults.” 


84 


THE SHERIFF 


“ But how happened it that you came just in the nick of 
time to save my life ?” 

“ It didn’t happen, dear. I have been afraid for you ever 
since you were*elected sheriff ; and I came to this part of 
the city to-night because I wanted to know if you were safe 
or in trouble. And when I saw the mob I knew that they 
would try to kill you and so I hid in the alley, hoping that I 
could help you in some way.” 


“What more do you need to make you completely happy, 
Sis ? ” asked Randolph Worthington as he stood beside his 
sister a year later just after the words had been said making 
her Laurence Freeman’s wife. 

“ You know, Randolph.” 

“ Yes, I know. But this new leg is a good one and I can 
get about very easily. And you know I haven’t drank a 
drop since Laurence shut up the rumshops. By the way, 
Mike McBlinche sent for me yesterday and asked me to give 
you his best wishes. He said that he was glad Laurence 
had put him out of business and that when he gets out of 
jail he will go into some legitimate business and never sell 
another drop of liquor. But there is another piece of good 
news.” 

“ What ! more happiness for me ? ” 

“ Yes, Watson proved unsatisfactory as foreman and the 
boss learned that he tried to shield Mike from the penalties 
of rumselling so as to keep his place open and thus cause 
my discharge ; and because I have not touched liquor for 
more than a year, he has given me my old job back.” 

“ And Evelyn ? ” turning to glance into the face of her 
sister-in-law. 


THE SHERIFF 


85 


“ I am with my husband, heart and soul,” answered Evelyn 
softly. 

Turning to Laurence, Hazel placed both hands on his 
shoulders and, looking deep into his eyes, whispered lov- 
ingly : “ And all this happiness, and the happiness in many 
homes in this city to-day is because you stood by your prin- 
ciples and did your duty as you saw it in spite of the argu- 
ments of mistaken friends and the many temptations devised 
by the enemies of right. I am glad that you were willing to 
give me up rather than sacrifice the right and were able to 
withstand the temptation that I foolishly put in your way.” 

“ It is all passed now, dear,” he answered, “ and we are 
much better and stronger for the chastenings through 
which we have passed. I have only done my duty ; but I 
think I have proved that the prohibitory law can be enforced 
when the power is placed in the hands of a Prohibitionist ; 
and if one man can accomplish even what I have, how much 
more could be accomplished if the Prohibition party should 
elect all the officers.” 














One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



a i9.i t 



# 




















LIBRARY OF CONGRES 



